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What It Really Means to Be A High Nation
If you Americans want to legalize marijuana, come to Holland first. It's not as easy as it looks.
Early this summer Pharrell Williams, the American singer-songwriter, appeared slightly inebriated on stage at the North Sea Festival in Rotterdam and joyously confessed that he had downed a few shots beforehand. The Dutch audience reacted with a slightly weary smile. The real surprise was that it was just alcohol, and not drugs, that seemed to make Pharrell so exuberantly happy.
For decades, the Dutch have been familiar with American bands and singers appearing high on stage, especially in Amsterdam's famous "Rock Temple," Paradiso. We are used to putting up with below-par performances and zonked-out singers losing themselves between songs in endless ramblings about what love really means and what beautiful human beings the Dutch are, and how their wonderful new-found insights originated at the local "coffee shop"—read marijuana shop—which always seems to be just around the corner in major Dutch cities. Most of the time it is an amusing spectacle, seeing well-known performers coming to Holland and behaving like wide-eyed kids in a candy store. And, of course, it is somewhat flattering—for quite a few Americans the Netherlands, in this aspect at least, seems to be truly the land of the free.
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It's not only performers. When Hillary Clinton, as first lady, gave a lecture in a Delft church in the late '90s and professed her regret that due to lack of time she would not be able to visit the places in Amsterdam where her husband, coming over from London as an Oxford University graduate student, had enjoyed himself so much, the audience immediately got the joke—probably because they had heard it so many times before.
Today, judging from what I'm hearing from across the Atlantic, America is considering whether to become a lot more like the Dutch. Colorado and Washington state have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, and the New York Times editorial page recently declared that the national ban on marijuana today is even sillier than banning alcohol during Prohibition, saying it is "a substance far less dangerous."
But before you go there, America, let me tell a little about what it really means to be a High Nation. First of all, we Dutch are not quite as liberal about drugs as you might think. Second, and more important, we're still very confused—in fact more confused than we ever have been—about how liberal we should be. The truth is, many Dutch are coming to believe that our whole experiment with drug tolerance hasn't worked out well at all.
Contrary to what many people think, the Dutch generally are not obsessed with drugs, just as they do not have Anne Frank or Vincent van Gogh on their mind most of the time. Where I live, in the center of Amsterdam, there are a quite a few of those uniquely Dutch coffee shops, but I hardly go there—not out of principle, but because most of the time I have better things to do than getting high. For many people they are just part of everyday life. For us they do not have the aura of naughtiness — of being allowed to do something that is joyfully transgressive — that they have for foreign visitors. Smoking cannabis in Holland is not a statement or an act of social defiance. It's no longer part of any kind of exciting counterculture whatsoever—you just have to like it. If you do, enjoy. If not, you can just have a cup of coffee.
The other myth is that drugs are simply legal in the Netherlands. They are not—and that goes for hard and soft drugs. Soft drugs are just officially "tolerated." And there the problem starts. As a Dutch citizen you are allowed to buy small quantities of soft drugs for your personal use, but you are forbidden from growing weed for commercial purposes. If this seems confusing for an outsider, it is also so for the Dutch themselves—one could say we have struggled for decades with the consequences of our own so-called gedoogbeleid, our famous policy of drug toleration. It has created a completely illogical situation for the coffee shops, which are, bizarrely, both legal and illegal at the same time. They are allowed, under strict conditions, to sell soft drugs at the "front door"—but having drugs delivered to their shops, the business that happens at the "backdoor," is still regarded as criminal activity.
This often leads to surreal confrontations—and a hopeless tangle in the Dutch legal system. In the documentary Nederwiet (" Dutch Weed," 2011) there is a wonderful scene in which an elderly man who is on trial for possession for more than the allowed number of cannabis plants angrily gives the court the Socratic treatment. The police have confiscated and destroyed his plantation. How can the judges explain, he asks rhetorically, that there are thirteen legal coffee shops in the small city of Leeuwarden alone? Who supplies these legal shops with merchandise? Why is growing cannabis illegal, while selling it to customers is not? The judges have nothing to say to him. They are very much aware that the law is extremely illogical, but they still have to follow it.
This awkward situation is a legacy of the early '70s. At that time a special government commission concluded that users of soft drugs should no longer be classified together with the real dopeheads. Though officially legalizing the use of cannabis at that time was regarded as a bridge too far, the Dutch government decided not to prosecute the possession of soft drugs for personal use. Somewhere in the future, it was expected, soft drugs would eventually be legalized. But it never happened.
Clearly the old man in the documentary sees himself as sort of hero, defending the hallowed Dutch tradition of putting personal freedom first, as long as you do not harm anyone else. In condemning his judges he sees himself battling the growing tide of reactionary moralism that wants to kill off the famous Dutch liberal spirit. Others would see him as a relic of a now very distant past: For quite some time now the Dutch have given up celebrating freedom; instead they obsessively worry about it.
How did this happen? As with so many other things, the Dutch approach to personal freedom has mostly been pragmatic. You may regret the way humans tend to behave; you can condemn it, but you can almost certainly not change it—so better to accommodate it in the best way possible. It is more effective to regulate human nature than to criminalize it, in other words.


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Dateline-Somewhere in the East China Sea. Spending the last few weeks cruising from Japan to Korea to China, one must wonder if all the checkpoints, screenings, interrogations and steely gazes are making us safer or chipping away at our freedoms.
I would venture both, but it's like being a little bit pregnant; either you submit to a system that is totally in your life or you have no hope of any security at all.
And therein lies the challenge. As an American, I have been asked to show my passport on trains, in shopping centers, in banks. The countries I have visited want to know who is in their country, even their own citizens.
That would never fly in America. We are not so willing to give up freedoms for safety. Israel has gone down that path to mixed results. Stronger security methods will not eliminate those who wish to do harm, but it may help determine who they are, before they cause harm.
Americans gave up a little after 9/11. Our core was shaken and we agreed to stricter airport screenings, submitting vital and private information to get into TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry. We endured two hour waits and getting to the airports three hours ahead but now, many look for ways to 'beat the system' and sidestep the precautions put in place to protect us.
I can see it now. If I buy a train ticket in the US and a ticket agent on board asks for my ticket and proof of citizenship, I would be the first to scream: "you want to see my papers?! What is this: Nazi Germany?"
But it's different. Papers were requested in a country whose goal was racial purity and exclusion. We live in a different world. The practices I've encountered are more about identifying threats rather than weeding out the undesirables.
I'm not sure what I'm willing to surrender in the name of security and freedom. Once the horse has left the barn, it's difficult to rope him back in. But my grandmother also use to say: "Anyone who's out at midnight is obviously up to no good."
She may be right. If guns were outlawed, only outlaws would have guns. But today's weapons are laptops, cell phones, explosives disguised as candy and the most macabre, dead babies packed with C4.
What price freedom? What price security? Pretty steep in either case.

subset: commoncrawl


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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Di Matteo happy with away day win
Roberto Di Matteo was hoping Chelsea's late show against Nordsjaelland on Tuesday night would signal the start of better away days to come in the Champions League.
The European champions avoided another winless outing on the continent thanks to three goals in the final 11 minutes of a flattering 4-0 victory in Copenhagen. It was far from a walk in the Parken before that as the Blues threatened to blow another lead, having thrown away a two-goal advantage in their Group E opener against Juventus two weeks earlier.
They also surrendered leads in all of their away group matches last term, and manager Di Matteo said: "It's difficult to win away in the Champions League. We're pleased. We got a clean sheet, another one, and scored four goals. Who knows? Hopefully some more will come away from home."
Juan Mata maintained his superb recent form with his third goal in three games in the first half but it took a superb David Luiz free-kick to open the floodgates, with Mata and Ramires adding gloss to the scoreline.
Di Matteo added: "We expected a difficult game and that's exactly how it turned out to be.
"We were a bit slow out of the blocks, even if we had chances to score. We scored one and had a couple of other chances.
"The second goal was important for us, to settle us down. We were sharper and better in the second half, and once we scored that second goal, we knew we'd win the game.
"They play, no matter what, their football and it's not easy.
"There are no pushovers in the Champions League - look at Bayern [Munich] losing, and [Manchester] United having to come back."


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How to read to a six-year-old
Earlier this month my six-year-old daughter and I progressed to chapter books for her bedtime reading. We had dabbled with slim children's chapter books involving fairies, princesses and ballerinas but now I'm reading what I would call proper books – namely Roald Dahl.
We started with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and then followed up with James and the Giant Peach, which was completed in three days during a snow-bound weekend. Last night we started Danny the Champion of the World. After reading the opening three chapters, I looked at my watch, saw it was 7.28pm and said "Right, that's it – bedtime." My daughter jumped at me, grabbed my shoulders and begged me to continue. I crumbled and carried on.
I love Roald Dahl and I've told my daughter he is one of the world's most famous writers – she loves that fact. I love how he doesn't sugarcoat anything in his books. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I had forgotten how vividly he describes the wretched starving state of Charlie's poverty-stricken family. On the opening page of James and the Giant Peach, James' parents are killed by an escaped rhino from London Zoo – after reading this sentence to my daughter I stopped, whispered the word 'dead' and drew my finger across my throat to ensure she fully understood that James had just been orphaned. She nodded calmly and we carried on. The deaths of James' evil aunts are celebrated in James and the Giant Peach. On the opening page of Danny the Champion of the World, Danny explains that his mother died while he was a baby. Again, she didn't even blink.
None of these dramatic events has affected my daughter. In fact, it's the Scooby Doo movies that give her nightmares rather than Dahl's tendency to give his young heroes miserable up-bringings.
The other beautiful thing about Dahl is the simplicity of his language. My daughter gave me more grief after I finally said that I would read no more of Danny the Champion of the World and I explained she should hurry up and learn to read herself. She is currently at a French immersion school (read Things White People Like to understand this better) and we're teaching her to read in English at home.
I opened Danny at the bookmark and encouraged her to read the next paragraph, which she did slowly with a little help on the world 'excitement.' I explained that she could be reading this book very soon if she continues to practice. Dahl does not have a complex style of writing or use difficult language. He had a wonderful grasp of what children need from a book – practically and literally.
I don't remember having his books to read to me but I do remember reading them myself at roughly eight, nine or 10. Frankly, it's great fun to be reading them again because there are huge chunks that I simply can't remember.
I got a very strange feeling when in James and the Giant Peach the peach floats over New York and the New Yorkers flee because they think it's a huge bomb. Suddenly images of 9/11 was rushing through my head. Thankfully, that's something my daughter has yet to discover. While I was reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I couldn't help feeling the oompa loompas were being exploited and the factory probably didn't meet the latest food safety regulations but I guess that's adulthood.


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At Fix My Blinds, we offer replacement parts and string for blinds and shades. We have a large library of instructional videos, written instructions, and part diagrams. We take great pride in equipping our customers to do their own blind repair. Learn more
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Joseph Crane, M.A. Received BA from Brandeis Universe with a major in philosophy, an M.A. from Lesley University with an Independent Study degree. Joseph is a consulting astrologer, teacher, and author. As the co-founder of the Astrology Institute in the early 1990's, Joseph has conducted training programs on astrological interpretation and counseling skills for astrologers. He has been involved with the Kepler College and Certificate Program since 2007.
Joseph is the author of A Practical Guide to Traditional Astrology (1997), Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Legacy (2007) and Between Fortune and Providence: Astrology and the Universe in Dante's Divine Comedy (2012). Joseph publishes a monthly astrology newsletter that contains current planetary phenomena and astrological profiles of historical and contemporary public figures. Newsletters and other information can be found at The Astrology Institute. Joseph is also a psychotherapist and a Buddhist practitioner. He lives in Rhode Island. You can find out more at his website: https://www.astrologyinstitute.com/


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FormicMedia brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 54 Designs von 26 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Formic Media, a search engine marketing (SEM) agency servicing small, local businesses, is looking for a logo that accurately reflects its fresh, unique nature. The term 'formic' relates to ants, which was chosen for it's reflection of an industrious, powerful and highly efficient community. Formic Media will work hard and smartly to boost clients' visibility, leads and sales via the Web.
The Formic Media logo will be used in print and on the Web. The first and primary application will be a corporate Web site. Additional applications will include business cards, print collateral and signage. First and foremost, the logo should reflect the approachable, fun but effective nature of Formic Media's SEM service offering, which will include research, recommendations, implementation and management of search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) and social media marketing strategies. Formic will build the SEM strategies that can be implemented by the client or by Formic in a timely and efficient manner.
- Color palette is flexible, but should be contemporary yet timeless (see Anvil and MindShare logos mentioned above).
- While the obvious create concept/treatment may involve ants, they are not required or expected.
- The logo should pass the "tattoo" test...is this something I would put on my arm or lower back?
- The logo should work well in both Web and print applications
- We will need a high res (EPS) and lower res (GIF or JPG) format
- No complicated color bleeds, etc. that would be diffiicult to replicate across media types (or even embroidered on a hat)
- Nothing we've seen before (see Anvil's non-anvil logo for example)
- I'm hoping for a logo, vs. a wordmark, although an elegant wordmark will be considered.
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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Bring the power, emotion, and excitement of sport to the fans with Live Production systems that offer smooth and brilliant images in both 4K and HD resolutions with extremely stable broadcast feeds. Backed by years of development, we offer powerful and reliable solutions to broadcasters worldwide.
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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Another week, another round of injuries for the Green Bay Packers.
This week has been especially unkind for coach Mike McCarthy's offensive line, with a short turnaround from an overtime game on Sunday to face the Chicago Bears on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Don't look for sympathy from Bears coach John Fox. He is already down three defensive starters less than a month into the season, and the Bears are also coming off an overtime win.
"Nobody is going to come rescue us," Fox said. "I think we're playing a game Thursday night, so we'll do our best to get ready for it."
The latest installment of the NFL's oldest rivalry is a meeting between teams trying to make it to the long weekend off that follows a Thursday game without anyone else getting hurt.
By numbers alone, the Packers have had it worse, especially on the O-line. Tackles David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga, one of the best tandems in the league, are on the injury report again. Kyle Murphy went on injured reserve this week, joining two other backup tackles knocked out by injuries.
Ten players are on the injury report, not including two this week placed on injured reserve. Green Bay even lost its long snapper this week.
McCarthy cut back on what was already a limited practice schedule for the short week to help players recover from Sunday.
"The No. 1 goal for our football team as far as preparing for this game is for everybody to get their bodies back," McCarthy said.
The Packers have a great equalizer in quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They're never out of a game at home as long as he's healthy, like when Green Bay came back from a 14-point halftime deficit last week to beat the Bengals 27-24 in overtime.
"Part of the puzzle is keeping our QB upright and that's the most important thing," Packers offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett said.
Chicago lost safety Quintin Demps to a broken arm last week. The Bears have also lost linebacker Jerrell Freeman and Freeman's replacement, Nick Kwiatkoski, to pectoral injuries.
The win over the Steelers does offer a confidence boost in a short week after holding Pittsburgh to 282 yards.
"I know they've had their share of injuries as well across the board," Fox said. "On the short week, obviously it's a challenge for both sides. But it starts with Aaron and he always makes things interesting."


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Love was certainly in the air – cupcake love! We had 35 bakers entering a total of 40 varieties of cupcakes. For the first time we split the competition into professional and amateur categories; the standard of both was dazzling.
The winners include some familiar faces, and some very new faces. That's what I love about this competition – you can win it with your very first entry.
Thanks to everyone for providing such positive feedback about all our changes this month.
Incidentally, you may happen to notice some gorgeous sparkling table jewels in the photos – they were very generously provided by our new best friends at The Last Detail, the only place to go if you want beautiful party and table decorations.
Amateur winner - Tamara's Chocolate oreo cupcake with cream cheese frosting
Tamara's sponge was divine – a cross between the squidgiest, richest brownie you've ever tasted and light sponge, with a deep cocoa hit. We all loved the creamy smooth frosting – amazingly light for cream cheese.
A well deserved win – even more impressive as it was Tamara's Iron Cupcake debut!
Amateur runner up - Emma's Chocolate loveberry cupcake
Emma's chocolate sponge contained thick raspberry sauce which made the sponge rich and moist. The raspberry buttercream was whipped and thick. On its own this would have been delicious but the brownie heart topper was a delightful addition.
Professional winner - Amanda's Pink champagne and strawberry cupcake
Amanda's pink champagne cupcake had a strawberry filling and was topped off with pink champagne frosting. What always impresses me with Amanda's cupcakes is how she balances the alcohol – your taste buds get the boozy tingle but it's never overpowering.
Professional runner up - Eloise's "A night in Paris" cupcake
Now you'll either interpret the title of Eloise's entry with a snigger or a romantic "ahhh". I leave to you!
This quite stunningly beautiful cupcake comprised of a chocolate sponge packed with juicy berry compote. The mega-smooth whipped frosting contained pink champagne.
Those were the cupcakes with the most votes on the night; now let's take a look through all the other lovely entries – be prepared to be stunned by the artistry, imagination and sheer skill on display.
We'll start with the amateurs…I almost feel embarrassed calling them amateur entries and I'm sure you'll see why very shortly:
Ying's Classic sponge and buttercream cupcake
Ying's cupcake was a classic Victoria sponge and had all the gorgeous buttery crumbliness you'd hope for. It had a lovely light texture and smooth rich buttercream. How cute are the tiny heart sprinkles on top?
Caro's "Bitter and blue" cupcakes
Caro focused more on the dark side of love for her entry – a lime and blueberry cupcake filled with homemade blueberry curd topped off with lime frosting and a chocolate heart. The blueberry curd was a revelation – gorgeous flavour and texture. Lime and blueberry wasn't a flavour combination I'd had before but it really worked.
Carol's Classic vanilla cupcake with love heart themed icing
Carol gave us a perfect sponge with deliciously sweet and smooth glace icing. She decorated each cupcake so that it represented a love heart – each had it's own message!
Kelly's Red velvet cupcake
Kelly made the most beautiful red velvet cupcake – it was rich and moist yet retained the crumbliness that my favourite sponges all have. The cream cheese frosting was light and smooth and I could have eaten the whole cupcake…ok, two…alright, alright, three of them! Loved Cupid's arrow spearing the frosting – very romantic!
Mitsu's Strawberry and custard cupcake
Mitsu's vegan friendly cupcake comprised of a strawberry and custard sponge topped off with strawberry buttercream. One bite of this and I was transported back to my childhood days eating Strawberry fruitella sweets – that's just what it tasted like. Yum!
Sasha's "Lover's double chocolate" cupcakes
Sasha's vegan friendly cupcake had a wonderful hit of cocoa that was rich but not overly sweet. Her double chocolate sponge was teamed with vanilla and chocolate buttercream.
Fiona's Rose cupcakes
Fiona's delicate and fragrant cupcakes were beautifully judged, and visually stunning. She used distilled rose petals to create a scent and flavour that lingered but was also light. This was a big hit with my fellow eaters.
Charley's chocolate and mint cupcakes were well balanced and topped off with chocolate buttercream. Their dinky size meant that you could tuck in and feel virtually guilt free!
Kelly's chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate frosting
Let's start with Kelly's decoration – I hope you can see the pink heart but there were also chocolate letters "I" and "U" thus the decoration was "I heart U". Very sweet! The cupcake had a lovely chocolaty taste that was rich and powerful – lovely!
Natalie's "Love Potion" cupcakes
Natalie cleverly chose ingredients that spelled out the word "Love". Liquor 43 (which is a vanilla liqueur), Oreos, Vanilla and Espresso. All the eaters at my table enjoyed the chocolate/coffee combination and then the hit of booze. If you notice in the photo there is a little tab hanging out the side of the envelope – pull on this and a romantic message was revealed!
Ros's Tropical passion cupcakes
Ros teamed passion fruit and pineapple sponge with coconut and lime frosting. The passion fruit was an intense flavour and I loved the way the seeds popped and crunched in my mouth. The pineapple came through later and left a lovely tangy flavour – a lovely burst of sunshine for a cold winter's evening!
Ros's "It's a rocky road to love" cupcakes
Ros's second entry of the night was a rocky road masterclass. Her rocky road included chocolate, marshmallow, peanuts and cherries…and this was only the frosting! Underneath all that was a delicious sponge and it all married up to a tasty mix of different textures.
Charlotte's Bitesize love cupcakes
Charlotte chose a buttery, rich Victoria sponge for her cupcake and topped it with a classic buttercream with chocolate orange sprinkles (in the shape of a heart – what else?) The sprinkles added extra texture and flavour and were a lovely addition.
Katie's "Vanilla is love" cupcakes
Katie's classic vanilla sponge was teamed with buttery icing. The flavours were clean and simple…and no worse for it! Dave, our ace cameraman, is a sucker for a classic sponge and icing combination and he loved this one.
Mara's "Cherry kiss" cupcakes
Mara gave us a chocolate and cherry sponge (awesome flavour combination!) topped off with chocolate orange buttercream and a Hershey's kiss (brought back from America!). It was a really interesting combination as your taste buds noticed the chocolate and orange first before the cherry cut through.
Nathalina's "Princess Raspberry" cupcakes
If ever cupcakes looked like a Princess then Nathalina's are the ones! A raspberry filled vanilla sponge was covered with buttercream and enveloped in marzipan. And they were dairy free. I love the way the glittery heart is surrounded in tiny sugar pearls – so pretty!
Francesca's Pink lemon and chocolate cupcakes with raspberry buttercream
The sprinkles you can see on top of Francesca's cupcake are actually fizzy. When you took a bite of the cake and the lemon flavour started fizzing so it was like eating lemonade – really clever…and tasty! We all took some and went "ooh" at pretty much the same time!
Rose's Raspberry heart cupcakes
Rose made a delicious chocolate sponge and swirled raspberry cheesecake through it – this created a lovely texture and flavour. The chocolate cream cheese frosting tied in beautifully with the sponge.
Thuc's "Groovy baby" cupcakes
Thuc took inspiration from Austin Powers for her vanilla and strawberry swirl cupcakes. The chocolate lettering says "groovy baby" and the frosting had marshmallows in it making it sticky and sweet. Austin would love them!
Thuc's Strawberry and vanilla cupcakes
Thuc's second entry of the night was a masterclass in flavour combining. We all loved the way the sweet, almost fragrant, strawberry gave way to the vanilla and the simple cream topping cleansed your palate for the next bite. These were very, very quaffable!
Kat's "Passionate fruit" cupcakes
Kat's cheesecake sponge was moist and close textured and the passion fruit worked so well with this texture. Passion fruit was a popular choice on the night and I was very impressed with the sharp fruitiness it adds to a cupcake.
Cat and Hannah's "Berries and bubbles" cupcake
Cat and Hannah went for the decadent with this little beauty - the berries were strawberry and the bubbles were courtesy of champagne! The champagne frosting was topped with popping candy and it gave a satisfying scrunch to the cupcake.
Andy's "Opposites attract" cupcakes
Opposite's attract – no longer just a musical guilty pleasure (come on – you all remember the Paula Abdul video with the sinister dancing cartoon cat or wolf…whatever he was!). It's now a cupcake! Andy made a cupcake of two halves – one half strawberry, one half chocolate. Chilli flavoured chocolate added quite a kick to the cake – you ended up with strong heat in the back of your mouth!
Clare's Strawberry and vanilla cupcake with champagne glaze and butter icing
Clare's soft buttery sponge had subtle, classy flavours which we all enjoyed immensely. I loved the heart sitting on top of the pink buttercream – such a simple but pretty decoration.
Shelley's Chilli chocolate cupcakes
Debutante Shelley spoiled us with three different entries! The chocolate sponge had a gentle hit of chilli and the cream topping cleverly cut through this and calmed all the flavours down. It was a really well balance mix of flavours.
Shelley's "Wine and roses" cupcakes
Shelley's second entry was a heady combination of rose sponge and wine buttercream. All the eaters at my table enjoyed the fragrant rose and the subtle buttercream. The cake looked so pretty with the rose petal decoration.
Shelley's Raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes
Shelley's final entry of the night was a creamy white chocolate sponge housing little pockets of raspberry. The light whipped frosting was a joy to eat. I know that Shelley and her helpers travelled quite a way to join us for the evening so I hope they all enjoyed themselves and went home happy and full of cake!
Philip's "My first cupcake"
Be prepared to say "awwww, bless". When I asked Philip why he'd titled his entry so he replied it was because these were the first cupcakes he'd ever baked and he only baked them so he could enter the competition. All together now…3…2…1…..awww bless! Philip's strawberry and vanilla cupcakes will hopefully be the start of a great baking hobby – he certainly has an eye for presentation…you have noticed how the strawberry has been shaped into a heart?
Sinead's "Blind love" cupcakes
Sinead – and I hope she doesn't mind me sharing this – gave her cupcakes this name because she felt they had come out a bit…well, ugly. Apart from the fact they haven't, they tasted delicious. The marshmallow frosting had a gorgeous sticky texture but also managed to be creamy. It worked really well with the vanilla cupcake.
Gemma's Gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
These are so cute – notice how Gemma's gingerbread couple are actually one biscuit and how they each have little heart shaped buttons. I love detail like that! I've never had ginger with cream cheese frosting before and it was a revelation – it was so good!
Eva's White chocolate mudcake with passion fruit frosting
Eva's mudcake was yummy – it was rich and moist and dense and very, very easy to make a piggy of yourself over! The passion fruit cut through the richness and added some zingy fruitiness. A very well thought out combination.
Lydia's Beetroot and white chocolate cupcakes
OK, put your beetroot prejudice aside because it really works! Beetroot is a sweet vegetable and it added real depth and moisture to this rich sponge. Lydia clearly knows her stuff with the piping bag – the intricate swirl design is very pretty indeed.
Those were the amateur entries; I suspect you can now see why I struggle with the word "amateur". Here are the professionals:
Elaine's "Love me tender" cupcakes
Elaine took her inspiration from Elvis for these delights: a banana and bacon cupcake with peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream and glitter. It was one of my favourite moments of the evening when Max, my nephew, asked me how Elaine had made her cupcakes taste of bacon. "Because she put real bacon in them", I replied. He could only gasp in response, "but…..that's AMAZING!"
Elaine's "Chocolate and roses" cupcakes
Elaine's second entry matched a chocolate sponge with rose petal jam and then smothered it in chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and a chocolate moulded rose. All the eaters at my table loved the subtle flavours and textures.
Lucy's Red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate and pink champagne frosting
Lucy's gorgeous red velvet cupcake was topped with light, whipped white chocolate and champagne frosting. The little sprinkles added some crunch and it was an immensely comforting creation to eat.
Kerry's "Love bites" cupcakes
Kerry's rich chocolate sponge contained a hit of chilli and was topped off with a chocolate and cream cheese buttercream. The chilli just set the back of your tongue tingling and the cream cheese calmed it down. It was a lovely balance of flavours.
So there you are – all our gorgeous entries each interpreting love in their own way.
Thanks to all the bakers and eaters who came along on a cold and dark wintery evening to share some love and bask in the glory of cupcakes! Thanks also to all of you who have taken time to share your thoughts and provide feedback on the event and how we run it. I am glad you were happy with the changes we made last night.
Thanks again to all at The Last Detail for providing our lovely table gems!
My heartiest thanks – as always - go to my dedicated team of helpers who keep me from getting completely frazzled on the night by generously giving up their time for no reward other than my thanks (and some lovely cupcakes, of course!). I couldn't run this event without them.
Thank you Paul, Dave, Max, Tina and Ying.
Iron Cupcake London returns on 1st March with a challenge entitled "The Perfect Pair". You can bake any cupcake you wish as long as it contains TWO flavours – and only two flavours. Full details will be announced shortly.


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Girls and Technology Can Change the World
Young woman working on a computer. Tunis, Tunisia. Photo: Arne Hoel / World Bank
"Girls programming isn't just a cool thing; it's also doubling the chances of developing innovative tools and making the world a better place for everyone." These words are from my friend Julie, who has been working as a web developer for the last four years. She has also been involved in a few volunteer programs in Africa, mainly to train young women on IT tools.


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"My Scottish Borders"
J is for:
Jedburgh, Jethart Justice
and Jethart Snails
JEDBURGH - The small historic burgh (known locally as Jethart) lies on the banks of the Jed Water, 10 miles north of the English-Scottish Borders. It is most famous for its ruined 12th century Augustinian Abbey, founded by King David in 1138.
Jedburgh Abbey from the river 1798-99" by Thomas Girtin
I worked for five years in the local tourist information centre, where we got used to such quirky queries as " Was the Abbey bombed during the war?" and "When are they going to rebuild the Abbey." A straight face was called for on occasions!
Follow the next stage of this A-Z Journey
The Scottish Borders
The old counties of Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Roxburghshire & Selkirkshire
The truth was the abbey was repeatedly attacked by English armies throughout the middle ages. In the 1540's it suffered particularly at the hands of the Earl of Hertford's military campaign known as the "Rough Wooing" when Henry VIIII sought to enforce a marriage between his son Edward and the young Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary was, instead, sent to France into the care of her mother's relations. Scotland turned to Presbyterianism with the Reformation, and the abbey, almost intact except for its roof, was used for services until the building of a new parish church in 1875.
To read more about Mary Queen of Scots in the Borders, follow this A-Z Journey to "Q".
The Jubilee Fountain in the Market Square, erected to mark
Queen Victoria's 1887 Jubilee.
The colourfully painted houses are a feature of Jedburgh architecture
The colourfully painted houses are a feature of Jedburgh architecture
The spire of the Newgate, built in the 18th century.
The Jail is actually two tiny windowless cells on either side of this arch.
The Jail is actually two tiny windowless cells on either side of this arch.
Jethart Justice - was the term given to the medieval practice of "hang first and try later" i.e. summary execution.
Jethart Snails are a delicacy of the town that can still be enjoyed. During the Napoleonic Wars, Jedburgh housed French prisoners of war who were said to have left a legacy in the form of their recipe for this brown mint-flavoured boiled sweet.
through the Scottish Borders
K is for
Kelso, Kaleidoscope & Kinmont Willie
Kelso, Kaleidoscope & Kinmont Willie
The Scottish Borders
The old counties of Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Roxburghshire & Selkirkshire
Do take a look at earlier posts in "My Scottish Borders
A-Z Challenge Preview
A-Z Challenge A - Abbeys,Abbotsford and Armstrongs
A-Z Challenge B - Border Reivers, Border Ballads and Blackmail
A-Z Challenge C - Common Ridings and Carter Bar
A-Z Challenge D - Dryburgh Abbey, Duns Scotus and The Douglas Tragedy
A-Z Challenge E - Elliots, Earlston, Enigma Hero and Eyemouth Tart
A-Z Challenge F - Flodden, Fletcher and Flowers of the Forest
A-Z Challenge G - A Green & Pleasant Land and Galashiels
A-Z Challenge H - Hermitage Castle and Hawick
A-Z Challenge I - Inspirational Land of Poets James Hogg and Will Ogilvie


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You're going to want to test this out. I used the following settings, which are SLIGHTLY modified Maximum settings, and improved my best score from default Max by a thousand points.
Hmmm, I've never been a fan of low poly distant objects.It gives the ole 'texture pop up' problem as you move closer.But yeah, 1024 texture for shadow is more than fine. I don't even see what a 2048 would give you more.


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Animal Health Issues
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Earth and nature - feasts for our senses
By LUKE WILSON
This week we celebrated Earth Day. Well, some of us did. I didn't know about it until the actual day, which was Monday, when I saw it on Facebook. And if it was on Facebook, it must be true — we all know that.
We can all relate to the Earth because we all go back so far with it, all the way to when we were born. We've interacted with the Earth for as long as any of us remember, having been scolded by our mothers for tracking dirt into the house, or laughed at for making mud pies. Some even took it a step further by actually eating their mud pies, I hear.


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Contrary to what a lot of humans believe, I candidly do anticipate that we were put on this apple to achieve our dreams.
That little dream in our heart.
Everyone has one. At atomic I'd like to anticipate so.
But absolutely the adverse to spending every alive moment aggravating to acquisition our dreams, a lot of of us adopt to coffin our arch in the beach and overlook about it.
But dreams are a funny thing. If we don't try to achieve it, it becomes like a absinthian bolus central us, it makes us sad and affronted in the process.
And so if others appear to us with their dreams and their hopes, we can't chronicle to it with account because we're still nursing our affliction from our bootless attempt.
So what do we do?
We advise them for getting so aboveboard and acquaint them to get a absolute job.
We breach their hearts and their spirit. And is it because we don't accept in them, or that no one deserves a adventitious to achieve their dreams, seeing as we didn't get a adventitious to reside ours?
We acquaint them the adverse of what they absolutely charge to hear.
We should be cogent them, 'Yea, go for it'.
Go for it. Because what's the worse that can happen? You absorb years of your activity accomplishing something you love, a little bit everyday, or you conceiving about it instead? You watch with affliction while anyone abroad does what you're not accommodating to endure?
How could that anytime be right?
If anybody played it safe, again there would be no books to read, no music to accept to and no campaign and adventurers who apparent the world.
The apple would be a dull, baby and safe place.
Even if it's just a hobby, wouldn't you rather absorb a little time anniversary day accomplishing something you adulation than not accomplishing it at all and just churning up central because you reside with regret.
Regret is a abhorrent friend.
And every one of us has a purpose, a call, a vocation. The alley is a attenuated one, hardly travelled, chancy and dangerous. At abounding times it doesn't even achieve sense.
Many will bead off forth the way, accord up, about-face back, alarm it a day.
But the one affair that should accumulate all of us traveling is the activity we get if we achieve some allotment of our dream.
That feeling, no amount how brief, is the greatest activity in the world.
Francesco Emmanuel is a classically-trained guitarist who is absurdly in-love with the electric guitar. He teaches guitar for a living, and if he's not basic music for film/TV, he's off touring with Canadian world-beat accumulation Kobo Town.


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Lady Edith and her dispatches from Downton
Marisa, where do we start on last night's episode. So much going on in just under an hour: Jimmy the new footman; Matthew afraid of getting noses out of joint; that pesky Irish rebellion; Ethel gives up her adorable little boy; Anna (who for some reason calls her husband Mr. Bates) and Mr. Bates finally see stack of love letters that have been withheld for, I guess months; and Edith the feminist gets published!
In a display of bias, we should start with Edith the blossoming columnist. It's about time the writers gave her something noble to do. Of course, the Dowager Countess put it best last night when she declared, "Stop whining and find something to do." Cheers to that.
I foresee Edith becoming a fabulous Suffragette and finally earning accolades beyond The One Who Was Left at the Altar by an Old Guy — particularly now that former activist Sybil has gone entirely useless, no thanks to that idealist husband of hers. What do you make of this whole burning-down-a-nobleman's-house situation? For once I entirely agreed with Lord G. when he told off Branson and ordered him to bed. Discuss.
So if a lord orders you to bed, do you have to go? I couldn't believe the former chauffeur slunk off!
Have always loved Edith — she worked the farm, she fell for the old guy, she ratted out her sister's indiscretions...OK, that one wasn't so good. But she's always trying. She'll be a great columnist.
But what about all the letters? Bates and Anna laying in their beds, miles apart, reading love letters to each other, so touching. To be honest, it was a bit much. All of sudden she's not writing to him and he's not writing to her and she's crying and he's getting mad. And what the hell happened to his roommate?
And what the hell is in that grubby little bundle they keep planting on each other? Voodoo supplies? A dead mouse? More of those roofies they used on Branson a few episodes ago?
The Twitterverse has indicated it's getting a tad sick of the Bates and Anna situation, and I'm hereby on that team. The fabulous Twitter feed by "Mr. Bates Legal Team" (@MrBatesLegal) offered a great suggestion to get this sluggish storyline moving: @MrBatesLegal: "Hey Matthew how about you go be a lawyer and help Anna out. After all she helped your wife move a dead body so..."
It's a great point and that could distract Matthew from poring over Downton's books, which is only going to serve to annoy the hell out of Lady Mary. Again.
As for Edith, maybe she's going to emerge the dark-horse hero, since she's taken more than her share of karmic beatings this season—both onscreen and on Twitter. My favorite Edith diss of the night came from @LaurenDestafano, who noted: "Poor Edith. She's like the Microsoft Paperclip in the word doc that is #DowntonAbbey." How fabulous would it be if the whole family ended up having to eat crow over their dreadful treatment of poor Lady Paperclip when she becomes a famous writer or whatever? Maybe she'll write an expose on her silly sister Sybil and brother-in-law. Is it wrong that I'm totally sick of those two?
Speaking of being sick of someone — I'm little tired of hearing from Matthew about "Reggie's money." For godsakes, pay the bills and move on. If you need to streamline the operation, do it. Even old Lady Grantham says you have to do what you have to do. With all her quippy sayings, she would have been a grand success at marketing — just do it!
The jailhouse bundle is a shiv. Every inmate needs a shiv for getting out of sticky situations with mean cellmates. The management, however, frowns upon them — hence the demise of Bates' roommate?
One more thing, I was a little distracted last night because of the NFL. I had made my husband watch the end of the Patriots v Ravens game in another room so I could tune in to Downton. Thank god we're a two-TV family. Which brings me to Lord Grantham. Why isn't he getting with the program with more modern conveniences. The house has a telephone, and as we learned a toaster, so why did he send a telegram from London? Pick up the phone, Robert.
Well, we are emailing these dispatches aren't we? Apparently precedent was set long ago for not communicating in person… Indeed, I'm surprised Lord G. even knows how to work a phone, if his financial skills are any indicator of his analytical abilities. (Seriously, Cora took the "we're broke" news ways too well. She credited her American-ness for her calm, but I think she's been in Britain too long if she recovers that quickly from such a massive investment gaffe.)
But I digress, and we haven't even touched upon the zillion other developments that happened last night: James (NOT Jimmy), the new, dreamy, English Ken doll-looking footman; the Ethel Saga; Mary's decree that babies are not high on her marital priority list (to which I say, you go girl…unless of course she's barren or something. Then I'd dial it back a little); sulky Daisy; and whether Branson stays put at Downton or permanently abandons his wife.
It's too much, but I do have a suggestion for next week: we should play Downton Bingo with our fellow Tweeps. I might also keep a Dowager Countess "zing" count, as last night she was on fire with the one-liners. Between her and @theDowagers_Hat on Twitter, I'm in stitches every week! (Re: Ethel, @theDowagers_Hat quips, "Ethel, plenty of children know they have hookers for mothers. Look at the Kardashians.")
You in?
I'm in.
I must say, I ran the emotional gamut Sunday night. A burst of laughter — "no lady writes to a newspaper" — was followed by a dab at the eyes — "Poor Ethel has taken the road to ruin." Between wanting to know the score to the football game, reading tweets and tweeting, jotting notes and trying not to miss any of the dialogue, I was exhausted when the show ended.
Can't wait for next week.
Watch "Downton Abbey" with Kathleen, @edgecombday; and Marisa, @TheMDesk on Twitter.
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Pasadena boasts a bounty of entertainment options, but only one offers the opportunity to spend an evening picking some of the most interesting brains in art, science, politics and entertainment.
This high-minded cultural event is the Distinguished Speakers Series of Southern California, and one of its venues is the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. This seven-month, seven-speaker program kicks off its 16th season there on Monday night with a talk by finance expert Suze Orman.
Founded in 1997, the series has hosted such esteemed figures as Walter Cronkite, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and Robert Redford. This year's lineup is just as impressive, with Orman, famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer, Hollywood legend Betty White, former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal, National Geographic contributor and happiness expert Dan Buettner and David Axelrod, a senior advisor to President Barack Obama, all appearing this season.
This diverse lineup reflects the interests of the event's audience, as speakers were chosen based on a poll of the series' regular subscribers.
"We put a survey of 400 names in categories like politics, science, entertainment and let people vote on what categories they're most interested in," says series owner and co-founder Kathy Winterhalder. "We try to give subscribers the people they want to see.
"What came out of our survey is that people are worried about their money," Winterhalder continues. "There was a lot of interest in Suze Orman, so we're thrilled that she's kicking off our series next week. With the 2012 presidential campaign gearing up and after several past seasons that were heavy in political speakers, the audience also seemed to want a lighter year. We went after a couple of speakers that aren't normally on the speaking circuit. That's the case with Betty White and Yo-Yo Ma."
Attendees can look forward to intimate evenings in the 3,000 person capacity Civic Auditorium, as series organizers attempt to create an atmosphere that feels like the audience is sitting down in their own living room to chat with each speaker. The audience does in fact get a chance to interact with the speaker through the question-and-answer portion that ends each lecture.
"We started in Pasadena because we thought the San Gabriel Valley was an educated area that would support something like this," Winterhalder says. "It's been a wonderful community for us." The series also brings the same seven speakers to venues in Thousand Oaks and Redondo Beach.
Tickets for the Distinguished Speakers Series are sold exclusively as subscriptions, and buyers can either purchase the entire season (prices run between $280 and $392), or design their own four-event miniseries for $230. The fact that 80% of subscribers return year after year is a testament to the quality of the programming.
"We're really grateful," Winterhalder says, "that in this economy our subscribers aren't giving up the opportunity to have a personal night with each speaker. We try to make it educational entertainment. It's more than just going to a show."
For more information, visit speakersla.com.
Distinguished Speaker Series 2011-12
Pasadena Civic Auditorium
Monday, Oct. 3: Suze Orman
Wednesday, Nov. 9: Betty White
Wednesday, Jan. 11: David Axelrod
Tuesday, Feb. 21: Charles Krauthammer
Wednesday, March 14: Gen. Stanley McChrystal
Wednesday, April 4: Yo-Yo Ma
Tuesday, May 22: Dan Buettner


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Europe's Week Ahead: U.S. Shutdown, Luxury Goods
Attention will continue to focus on the U.S. with negotiations to break the impasse over the U.S. debt ceiling and non-farm payrolls and CPI data. In Europe, investors will look out for U.K. unemployment data, German industrial production and luxury brands Burberry and LVMH on the corporate side.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... the ... U S policymakers may affect that sitting in pots but now ... that invest in some markets the still feeling the ramifications the shutdown ... and he said join me to discuss what to expect for the week ahead ... p so ... we still haven't had the nonfarm payrolls in the US PGA fiscal discipline staying on ... and in what it what what what's investors may sell some this weekend to me have any ideas on things that can get back to normal ... we don't know we we know the limits the token over the weekend ... on the politicians the weekend so maybe things will be done ... the next week we have it all the things that the inflation rate is on the ... Duster production figures ... um ... when we simply don't know how long the school will take on ... the news crawl ... this is all coming at a critical time when people are still trying to judge the speed of the timing of Fed tapering ... what investors have to go all the people to be the canvas way ... there is the worst crime deterrent to which constructs of avionics week we have trimmed costs of his book ... The Little stupid can into my can earnings which ... starts in Melbourne this next week ... um ... we have gone socks and ... Melissa me for example ... I'm and ... people ... can see will help ... co customers to help consumers or to call their mortgage ... books to him ... oh ... well that fixed income ... Brooks who can these things ... and ... MNF hasn't been a ... racing ... bike yesterday so be interesting see how the mating calls can of tuna ... yet decided upon yet so we custom encouraging dates back to get out ... and have a go and the thing anything in the schedule that might give some idea of what the topic of sustainable we settle into we haven't done in social petitioned the office to send an interesting ... containing the song till I was back ... and do as I say it was a lot worse than expected ... and ... an interesting piece on second-quarter then use and a few on a few sessions and I went on to thinking of to confirm them on the right track ... well to listen to ... the German and said he doubts that the telly in tandem would come out and and it's been that it is pretty good isn't some directors sunrise and to the best level since been for some leniency ... we continue to see this improvement ... and another crucial to a simple and that will fit in a can of course is that you can employ to muni sic in Africa and because of the place that plays and the Bank of England thinking about what God if interest rates ... what was so beautiful that absolutely I mean I think ... generally we all ... accept the unimportance compound this country I think it's ... a question of how quickly ... aam ... the car has put some Sentosa as a signpost outlet so the of the employment level ... last month that came in at seven point seven lead with a look and see whether ... its texture that sometimes the level crossing from four from three point six percent ... the guy going forward and is in its second consecutive bowl with McGrady has ... been huge pressure on on this column a and and ... with a Coke retreat to see how to forage for three due to ... its ... been paid and ... other racists China ... and ... crystal forgot about that little staple for us to the Walmart we expect to have foolish enough to get a bunch and I'm not a something interesting to say about that ... one of the DPP in a statement Friday and is looking cute to watch a second quarter ... if you see a softening we saw some growth over seven percent so it's not like that ... common use of its lineup ... for this quarter from a for the Fed corner expecting ... some fun sentiment when the sun was actually banned the song in them ... in the second quarter when the stock to two point seven percent to seven point five percent ... which is an essential thing out today saying that growth for the full year ... should come in above official target of seven point five cents a week after saying some ... pickup in China and India ... it began structural reforms that we get something in the cinemas packages from painting to film the ... sequel to keep it sustainable ... this ... is the ... second and on the corporate side we have some me time is up to the tenets of reporting next week I think what's oversee a pickup in China would be great news for the student group Rian damage ... to the future course that does ... this coming week ... um are you saying these guys they region of Asia for growth ... and you'd expect some story that is coming from ... it's a somewhat colorful ... you know the ... second largest retailer in the world like sales ... and I think ... this to look into quite the desperate ... outlook call to let that ... settle in a store if it takes to save the world this controversy around the low melting rumbling on next week ... Tuesday is when the the ... unconditional trade and stocks are good spirits when he ... returned Alyssa's can decide to do with it is ... about to be interesting to see whether the share prices still these lovely levels ... when we shouldn't issue ... yes I will will favor the UK government is getting more flak but selling off the pace ... of ha well thank you very much for joining me as ever ... and you


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BFenix wrote:Silent-sigfig wrote:
Coolest 1000th post ever
Silent-sigfig wrote:Well, I meant Almighty Benny's Last Man Standing mode. I can't find the link, but basically the last troop left gains a heroic feat.
MasterEcabob the horny little bugger wrote:Have the hoes gather together and transform themselves into a mech for MFS to ride. Then have MFS mount it and destroy everything in sight, while laughing maniacally, of course
Warhead wrote:@Ross: Ten teenagers more like, it's my poor worn out wife I feel sorry for, without her no mom would be able to walk. The streets.
dilanski wrote:Have your imaginary balls exploded all over the keypad or something?
BFenix wrote:Silent-sigfig wrote:
Coolest 1000th post ever
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Keith "One Time" Thurman is not yet a full-fledged champion, but the 25-year-old knockout artist from Florida does hold an interim welterweight title and he certainly appears to have the goods to compete with the best in the division.
Julio Diaz, 34, of Coachella is a former lightweight champion whose best days might be behind him. That means when he challenges Thurman tonight for his belt, he'll have a chance to show that is not the case.
A hard-hitting rising star against a tough Mexican fighter. That's what's on tap when the two square off in the main event at StubHub Center in a Golden Boy Promotions card (on Showtime).
Thurman has compiled a sterling record of 22-0 with 20 knockouts — 10 in the first round. He lives up to his moniker, and takes great pride in it.
"My motto is KOs for life," Thurman said Thursday. "I'm going to do it again."
Thurman is confident, to be sure. But not overly. He knows that he has to keep his head screwed on tightly if he's going to realize his dreams.
"Winning on Saturday is obviously very important," he said. "Others in my division are already name-fighters, but I'm just starting to build mine. I'm still coming up in the world of boxing. So this is a chance for me to show that I'm not like all others."
One of the "others" is Shawn Porter, who currently is taking the boxing world by storm. Just this past Saturday he defended his welterweight title by stopping former two-division champion Paulie Malignaggi in the fourth round in Washington D.C. It's easy to say it was no big deal because Malignaggi can't crack an egg, but he is a very clever boxer who has been in with some of the best.
Porter has been asking for Thurman, and Thurman would love to oblige since there is no interim tag of front of Porter's title. A loss to Diaz would foil that plan, however.
"I've known Shawn Porter and his dad for years," Thurman said. "I know they're calling me out. When the time is right, we'll fight."
Not so fast. Diaz (40-9-1, 25 KOs) is here to be recognized, too. When he lost back-to-back fights against Rolando Reyes and Victor Manuel Cayo in 2009, his career was pretty much given up for dead.
But he won two in a row, then was stopped in the third round by Kendall Holt. Again, people said it was time for him to go. He rebounded once more, winning two straight before fighting to a draw with the aforementioned Porter. Diaz then lost a close fight to former champion Amir Khan before losing unanimously to Porter in a rematch.
If anything, he gained respect and gave himself another chance to do something big. Here it is.
"They said I was an old man three years ago and said it was time for me to retire," Diaz said. "Actually, I've been hearing the same thing for 15 years. They said it when I lost my title. They said it when I got knocked out. But I'm still here and Saturday I'm getting a shot at another world title."
Diaz suggests naysayers look at his work against Porter.
"I definitely feel I beat Porter the first time (in December 2012), but they called it a draw," he said. "In the second fight, he outpointed me, but in both fights I know I hurt him, and I dropped him. People forget that, and look at Porter now. His status has really grown."
This could be another knockout for Thurman. But with Diaz, one never knows. Thurman isn't taking him for granted.
"I expect Diaz to fight his heart out," Thurman said. "He says he plans to knock me out. I don't know if that's fight hype or his strategy, but I'll be ready."
John Molina title shot?
John Molina of Covina worked hard to get a shot at a lightweight title. When he got it, he was stopped in the first round by champion Antonio DeMarco of Tijuana in September 2012. Molina will have a chance to put himself in the picture for a shot at a super lightweight title when he takes on former interim champion Lucas Matthysse of Argentina on the Thurman-Diaz undercard.
"The bad loss to DeMarco was a few years ago, but I needed that to become the pro I am today," said Molina, who is 27-3 with 22 knockouts. "I now have the experience of fighting on a big stage that I didn't then."
Molina, 31, said he never stopped believing in himself, the loss to DeMarco notwithstanding.
"The odds are against me each time out, but I have a fighting spirit and I have a desire to win against all odds that others don't. There was never any self-doubt."
Winning this fight is not an easy task as Matthysse can be a real monster in the ring, as his record of 34-3 with 32 knockouts attests. Molina welcomes the challenge.
"Against the kind of fighter Matthysse is, I have the opportunity to show what I'm really about," said Molina, a Charter Oak High graduate.
Matthysse is also highly motivated, as he lost his most recent fight to world champion Danny Garcia in September.
"I don't believe the defeat derailed me too badly," said Matthysse, 31. "But I need to win against Molina to show that I am back."
Also underneath Thurman-Diaz, Omar Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas, will defend his lightweight title against Jerry Belmontes (19-3, 5 KOs) of Corpus Christi, Texas. … Josesito Lopez (32-6, 19 KOs) of Riverside stopped Aron Martinez (19-3-1) of East Los Angeles in the fifth round of their welterweight main event Thursday at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. … Wladimir Klitschko (61-3, 51 KOs) of Ukraine will defend his three heavyweight titles against Alex Leapai (30-4 -3, 24 KOs) of Australia on Saturday from Germany (on ESPN). … Television producer Michael King's promotional debut at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on April 16 was a success. "This was a great night of boxing and entertainment," said King, a boxing fanatic. "Boxing at Barker delivered and the concept proves the sport of boxing can evolve." There were five bouts. The main event featured heavyweights Alex Flores of Los Angeles and St. Louis' Charles Martin (16-0-1, 14 KOs), who knocked out Flores (14-1) at 1:14 of the fourth round.
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Financial regulators have failed to define specific, measurable objectives by which they can hold the nation's largest banks accountable for a $6 billion foreclosure prevention effort agreed to last year, a government watchdog warned Tuesday.
In a newly released Foreclosure Review report, the Government Accountability Office also said financial regulators had done an adequate job in monitoring payments made as part of an agreement with banks in 2013 that promised $3.9 billion to be split by an estimated 4.4 million affected homeowners.
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But the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency failed to properly execute a larger portion of the agreement, the GAO said, one where banks collectively must spend $6 billion on foreclosure-prevention efforts to help homeowners at risk of losing their homes.
The $3.9 billion in payments were compensation for abuses in 2009 and 2010 by mortgage servicers tied to the big banks. Federal regulators had ordered internal reviews of foreclosures after allegations surfaced that servicers, who serve as mortgage-payment collectors, had regularly falsified court documents in order to speed foreclosures on delinquent borrowers.
By early 2013, regulators felt a review mandated by a consent order was taking too long to get relief to affected homeowners. Instead, they amended the earlier consent order to mandate $3.9 billion in cash payments, about 32 percent of which went to homeowners in California and Florida alone, according to the GAO.
And while regulators have effectively managed the payments ranging from $300 to $125,000 to affected homeowners, the Fed and the OCC both continue to fall short in foreclosure-prevention efforts, the GAO concluded in its lengthy report Tuesday.
"Regulators did not establish specific objectives for the $6 billion obligation they negotiated with servicers to provide foreclosure prevention actions," the report said, noting that regulators only communicated broadly that the actions be "meaningful."
In a break from regulatory norms, the Fed and the OCC "did not follow their typical practices to inform supervisory actions, which include analysis of information," the report said.
Federal Reserve staffers acknowledged that special examination teams have not conducted oversight activities as it relates to the foreclosure-prevention efforts, the GAO said, "and regulators' guidance for oversight of the principles does not identify actions examination teams should take to evaluate or test implementation of these principles."
The OCC regulates nationally chartered banks and federal savings associations, called thrifts. The Federal Reserve regulates insured state-chartered banks that belong to the Federal Reserve System, as well as holding companies for banks and thrifts.
The Fed, the report added, viewed the $6 billion commitment from 15 big banks for foreclosure prevention efforts as additional remediation for the problem of shoddy practices by servicers. The GAO report quoted former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke pledging to Congress that foreclosure prevention would provide relief to existing homeowners. The report quoted a speech in which Comptroller Thomas Curry said the prevention efforts "would result in meaningful relief to borrowers still struggling to keep their homes."
Yet to date there are no measurable specifics to gauge whether the $6 billion is actually providing the relief to existing homeowners who are struggling with payments, the GAO determined.
Eight of the 15 banks in the consent order have chosen to provide direct foreclosure prevention help to borrowers, the GAO said, while seven more chose to make cash payments to groups that provide borrowers information or to housing-counseling agencies.
The GAO also criticized the Fed and the OCC for failing to provide detailed information about what criteria was used to place which borrowers in a specific payment category, and in the case of existing homeowners what sort of relief they are getting. The regulators have only been transparent on the status of activities, but have provided precious little detail to borrowers or the public, the GAO concluded.
"We will take GAO's recommendation into consideration as we finalize our reporting and other communication strategies," Tonda Price, the acting director of the Fed's division of consumer and community affairs, responded in a letter to the GAO. She said specific criteria to measure foreclosure prevention efforts will be in place this year.
Comptroller Curry was equally noncommittal, noting in a letter that "we will consider including additional detail regarding the categorization of borrowers."
The 15 financial institutions involved in the amended consent order are: Ally (GMAC); Aurora; Bank of America; Citibank; EverBank; Goldman Sachs; HSBC; JPMorgan Chase; MetLife; Morgan Stanley; PNC; Sovereign; SunTrust; U.S. Bank; and Wells Fargo. A 16th bank, OneWest, opted to stick with the original consent order and it has reviewed more than 28,000 foreclosures with multiples of that still awaiting review, according to footnotes in the GAO report.


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KateF needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 104 designs submitted by 36 freelance designers.
Logo required for an established estate agents and property specialist company. Logo needs to be fresh and contemporary, but with a classic, high-end feeling. Needs to inspire confidence
Flattery Auctioneers
Established 50 years, dealing with property sales, purchases, rentals, commercial and land deals. The logo needs to incorporate the name Flattery Auctioneers, and may also have "and Property Consultants" undeerneath if your deisgn lends itself to it. It must have be quite simple but have a very high-end feel. It must lend itself to both black and white as well as colour - be as creative as you like! Any icons/graphics need to be not too complicated as the winning logo will be used on print as well as web material
- Flattery Auctioneers
- and Property Consultants (optional)
- no particular colour scheme
- classic but contemporary feel
- simple, clean lines
- any style of font etc considered
- cartoons! or clip-art
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Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Used Convertible - 2000 Ford Mustang GT in Galveston, Tx
Please Call For Price
About This 2000 Ford Mustang GT
Vehicle Location:
Galveston, Tx
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8 Cylinder
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Fuel Economy Estimates
City MPG
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Combined MPG: 21
Estimated Monthly Fuel Cost: $105.95*
*Based on $1.78 per gallon and 15k miles per year.
Actual costs may vary.
Actual costs may vary.
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Located at Laredo Auto Sales in Galveston, Tx. Call Laredo Auto Sales today at 409-740-1230 for more information about this vehicle.
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2000 Ford Mustang ReviewThis car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.
The first ponycar is still the dominant player.
Ford's Mustang was completely redesigned and re-engineered last year (1999), with improvements to every single system under its brand-new skin. But all the best traits of the Mustang, the original pony car, remain. There's plenty of torque. The engine sounds great at full song, urging you to keep your foot in it. Excellent handling response keeps you involved. Yet it burbles along when cruising, attracting lots of attention from those around you.
The Mustang has only two true competitors, the Chevrolet Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird. There are Japanese and Korean coupes that compete with Mustang on price, but they don't offer pony car performance.
Like the GM pony cars, the Ford Mustang comes in many guises. There are V6 and V8 versions in both coupe and convertible body styles. There's also the Cobra, a super-performance model (available as a coupe or convertible) that competes against the Camaro SS and the Firebird Ram Air. You also get a choice of transmissions: 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.
The base Mustang is powered by a 190-horsepower 3.8-liter V6. Mustang GT models come with a 4.6-liter overhead-cam V8 that produces 260 horsepower. Both engines offer substantially more power this year. The limited-production SVT Cobra and Cobra convertible models come with special 32-valve double overhead-cam engines.
Prices for the Mustang coupes: base ($16,520), GT ($21,015), Cobra ($27,605). Convertible prices: base ($21,370), GT ($25,270), Cobra ($31,605).
Redesigned for 1999, Mustang's design features chiseled lines that give it a muscular appearance. The original 1964 Mustang influenced this design. The rear fender air intake is twice as long as the previous generation Mustang, with sharp corners and much more pronounced lines. The rocker panels curve out, and the fenders have pronounced front and rear wheel well arches. This gives the car a racier stance than the previous model. The front features wraparound complex reflector headlamps with integrated side marker lamps, and a larger grille opening with a honeycomb grille texture and a chrome pony emblem reminiscent of the original 1964 car. A new tricolor front fender badge was added for 2000. The hood features a prominent (non-functional) hood scoop. The roof was changed last year to a new design with a sharp edge. The rear quarter windows have a new shape and the three-element tail lamps feature sharp corners. The three available wheel designs, 15-, 16- and 17-inch, each have flat-spoke designs to complement the sharp corners of the body shell.
The selection of Goodyear, Firestone and B.F. Goodrich tires remains the same as last year. All GT models get twin 3-inch diameter polished stainless steel exhaust tips. The GT gets a rear deck spoiler and front fog lamps as standard equipment.
The electrical system has been simplified with the addition of a single module that replaces the functions of a half-dozen single-function modules for wipers, chimes, illuminated entry system, one-touch-down windows, remote entry and the anti-theft system.
Inside the car, there is no change for 2000 other than the addition of child seat anchors. The seat foam is much better than the previous-generation Mustang. The seat tracks were redesigned to add 1 inch of additional rearward travel to better accommodate taller drivers, and seat belts have been attached to the seats to move with them. There's a six-way power driver's seat, along with fabrics and sew patterns in cloth and optional leather. Embossed ponies on the upper portions of the seat backrests give the interior a sporty, traditional Mustang look. Medium graphite, medium parchment and midnight black are the standard interior colors. The instrument panel, the center console and the headliner are color-keyed in 2000 models.
The interior is nice and cozy in the coupe. There's enough seat track length to accommodate tall drivers and just enough elbowroom to keep from feeling cramped. The Mustang's back seat is small, with only enough room for small objects or kids. The trunk is small with an even smaller opening. The split fold-down rear seat is handy for hauling cargo.
Three new colors are offered for 2000. A 16-inch tire and wheel package is included in the V6 model appearance package. An 80-watt premium sound system comes standard on all models. A CD/radio combination, a CD/cassette system, and the Mach 460 system are available as options.
Driving Impression
Performance is what the Mustang GT is about. Its 4.6-liter sohc modular V8 engine produces 260 horsepower at 5000 rpm with 302 foot-pounds of torque at 4000 rpm. The engine features revised camshafts, intake manifold runners, and larger valves for improved airflow above 3000 rpm. A new coil-on-plug ignition system replaces the previous ignition system for higher energy spark. The GT engine sounds great, whether cruising or at full throttle.
Power from the Mustang's 3.8-liter split-port V6 engine is up substantially as well. It has been increased from 150 horsepower to 190 horsepower at 5250 rpm, with 225 foot-pounds of torque at 3000 rpm.
All models, regardless of engine or transmission, get a 3.27:1 rear axle ratio. Both transmissions shift smoothly. The flexibility of both the V8 and V6 engines make good mates for the transmissions, which feature sufficient strength to take high-rpm shifts for the life of the car. The 4-speed automatic transmission has been recalibrated for smoother upshifts. The 5-speed Tremec manual transmissions are carried over from 1999, with the V6 using the T-5 and the V8 using the T-45. It feels like you're shifting a big transmission in a big car. Clutch travel is a bit long, so you have to be fleet of foot to pull of consistently clean power shifts.
Traction control is optional. The Bosch system works at all speeds to reduce wheelspin. Whenever wheelspin is detected, the system retards ignition timing, cuts fuel flow, and activates the brakes at one or both drive wheels, in that order. The driver can turn the system off with a console switch.
The Mustang offers good grip when cornering hard and you can really feel what the car is doing. This car involves the driver. Most of the raw edges and choppiness of the Mustang's old suspension behavior have been smoothed out. Engineers retuned the rear suspension for improved compliance by increasing suspension travel. This reduces ride harshness. The GT has linear-rate springs, up in front to 450 pounds per inch. At the rear, the old springs were swapped out in favor of 210 pound per inch linear-rate springs. These decrease the Mustang's ride stiffness and improve steering feel and response.
The steering is more direct and more positive than pre-1999 Mustangs. A revised boost curve gives the steering more linear response and better on-center feel. The turning circle has been reduced by 3 feet through changes to the steering rack, the lower control arms and front stabilizer bars.
The braking system was re-engineered for 1999, with new aluminum twin-piston front calipers reduce front unsprung weight by a significant 10 pounds. The new calipers also contribute to greatly improved brake pedal feel. A new master cylinder design improves the ratio of brake pedal travel to brake force and improves pedal modulation. ABS is still optional for 2000 and must be ordered to get the traction control system.
The Camaro and Firebird are slightly more powerful than the Mustang GT. But the Mustang GT is quieter, rides better, and offers better interior ergonomics and quality than the Camaro and Firebird. The Mustang GT is also less expensive than either of the GM pony cars by several thousand dollars. Both the Camaro and Firebird are slated for extinction in the near future, which will leave the Mustang as the sole pony car. But even now, the Mustang GT remains the best all-around pony car.
Model Lineup
Coupe: base ($16,520), GT ($21,015), Cobra ($27,605); Convertible: base ($21,370), GT ($25,270), Cobra ($31,605).
Assembled In
Dearborn, Michigan.
Options As Tested
Mach 460 sound system ($395); Sport front bucket seats with leather seating surfaces ($500); traction control ($230); dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors ($95); Convenience Group ($550) includes front floor mats, cruise control, electric rear window defroster, six-way power driver's seat.
Model Tested
Mustang GT ($21,015).
5827 Avenue S
Galveston, Tx. 77551
Contact: Sales Manager


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Definitions of ram
n. - The male of the sheep and allied animals. In some parts of England a ram is called a tup. 2
n. - Aries, the sign of the zodiac which the sun enters about the 21st of March. 2
n. - The constellation Aries, which does not now, as formerly, occupy the sign of the same name. 2
n. - An engine of war used for butting or battering. 2
n. - In ancient warfare, a long beam suspended by slings in a framework, and used for battering the walls of cities; a battering-ram. 2
n. - A heavy steel or iron beak attached to the prow of a steam war vessel for piercing or cutting down the vessel of an enemy; also, a vessel carrying such a beak. 2
n. - A hydraulic ram. See under Hydraulic. 2
n. - The weight which strikes the blow, in a pile driver, steam hammer, stamp mill, or the like. 2
n. - The plunger of a hydraulic press. 2
v. t. - To butt or strike against; to drive a ram against or through; to thrust or drive with violence; to force in; to drive together; to cram; as, to ram an enemy's vessel; to ram piles, cartridges, etc. 2
v. t. - To fill or compact by pounding or driving. 2
The word "ram" uses 3 letters: A M R.
Direct anagrams of ram:
arm mar
Words formed by adding one letter before or after ram (in bold), or to amr in any order:
a - maar b - barm c - cram marc d - dram e - mare ream f - farm g - gram h - harm i - amir mair rami k - mark l - marl o - mora roam p - pram ramp s - arms mars rams t - mart tram u - arum mura w - warm y - army
Shorter words found within ram:
am ar ma
Words formed from any letters in ram, plus an optional blank or existing letter
List all words starting with ram, words containing ram or words ending with ram
All words formed from ram by changing one letter
Other words with the same letter pairs: ra am
Browse words starting with ram by next letter
Previous word in list: ralphs
Next word in list: ramate
Some random words: mnemonic udder iff wyandotte pya akee neoclassic
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text: In his second collection Mateer's work ranges through lyrics of sudden insight to long performative poems of grieving. A questioning of communication, despair and love in its various forms combine with memories, perception and present exxperiences, making for poems that engage daily life with an awareness of the philosophic and historic. Concentrating on Perth, Mateer's vision records the blurry worlds of private and public space, of common and individual solitude, while attempting their dissolution. His tone is usually insistent and his strenuous voice, like his use of vivid and often disturbing images, allows him to write with an urgency that is confronting and uncompromising. (From a preliminary page of the work).


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In keeping with the recent trend of restaurants opening their own food shops, the highly esteemed Quality Chop House near Exmouth Market has just opened one next door. The original 19th century British restaurant was relaunched in 2012. It's owned by Will Lander, the son of wine expert Jancis Robinson and restaurant critic Nicholas Lander, and Josie Stead, who has worked in Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Sketch. It's housed in a Grade II listed building, which retains many of the old design features.
Like the restaurant, the new shop is a handsome-looking space, traditional yet stylish, decorated in creams, blacks and slate greys. It has antique-looking floorboards, old-fashioned black and white tiles, and pristine wooden cabinets in which the products sparkle like vibrantly coloured jewels in a trinket box. The food shop and butcher are partitioned into two separate areas, the former leading to the latter.
In the food shop, own-made meat items are very much the speciality. The selection includes brawn (£1.75 per 100g), middle white pork and pistachio terrine (£4 per 100g), and 'family pie' made from beef, mushrooms and ale (£17.50). There's a daily-changing lunchtime specials board of freshly cut sandwiches, pork pies, sausage rolls and sliced meats. In the chiller cabinet, you'll find little jars of chicken liver and foie gras parfait, and whipped lardo (both £8).
Another speciality is own-made jams, marmalades, chutneys and pickles. An onion marmalade we tasted was perfect in a cheese sandwich, and had enough intensity of flavour for use in making gravy. Condiments like chipotle chutney (£4), crab apple jelly (£5) and clementine marmalade (£5.50) are attractively packaged. However, although they're marked with production and sell-by dates, they do not list ingredients so you'll have to ask if you have special dietary needs.
The shop also sells a few Neal's Yard cheeses like tunworth (£11 each) and ardrahan (31.50 per kg); and breads, including sourdough, soda and rye, from Elliot's bakery. Picture-pretty fruit and veg such as Amalfi lemons (£5.50 per kg) and fresh horseradish root (£11.85 per kg) are supplied by Mash; plus "an Italian lady who drives down to Italy every week".
The shelves are not randomly crammed: the shop is taking time to stock up gradually with "the right products". Already in place are wines, wine glasses, soft drinks, London honeys, oils, vinegars, olives, seasonings, and food and drink magazines. Chocolates, and own-made pastries and biscuits are also there to tempt you.
Most items are British, but there are also Spanish products like El Navarrico beans and lentils (from £3.40) and marinated white anchovies, boquerones (£9.95); French dry-cured sausage saussice seche (£47.80 per kg); and Acquerello (£12), the exclusive aged rice from a family farm in Piedmont that's currently found on fashionable restaurant menus. We spotted rarely seen items like rape seeds (for sprinkling on salads and appetisers), and gorgeous fuchsia-coloured red wine-infused sea salt.
Over at the butcher, lighter cuts of meat that are easier to cook are sold on Mondays, with larger joints introduced as the weekend approaches. We found best ends of kid goat (£30 per kg), herdwick mutton chops (£20 per kg) and flat iron steak (£16.50 per kg); along with chicken, bacon, faggots and sausages. Lander says: "We prepare all our meats on the premises. For instance, our hams are butchered, cured and glazed in-house. All our chefs are butchers, and vice versa."
He further elaborates: "The shop is an extension, and a reflection, of the restaurant. Both have the same suppliers." Emphasising the point that the meat products and condiments are made in the restaurant's own kitchen, he says: "the aim is to give the taste of restaurant quality food at home." The food shop and butcher certainly have their own distinct identity. Far from feeling like an afterthought, they are very much a destination in their own right.
Quality Chop House Food Shop & Butcher, 92-94 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3EA. Tel: 020 3490 6228.


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Some photogs go to serious lengths to get their shot. Others, like this degenerate, just take the lowest road possible, literally.
Paris strolled through a parking lot with the usual retinue of snapperazzi, but most of them, with the exception of this unidentified upskirt-chaser, were getting shots of her face.
Fine, perhaps he's an orthopedic surgeon doing a study of her femoral condyles. Yeah, that's it.
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