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Mount Thompson Climber's Log
Deb - Jul 29, 2016 10:14 am Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2016North Ridge
Jim and I tagged Ski Mtners Pk then took on the north ridge, finding it to be a ton of fun on pretty stable stone. Terrific views from building block summit. Descended just in time for thunderstorm.
bechtt - Aug 24, 2013 11:15 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2013Grand Loop
Day 3 of the alt Sierra Challenge 2013. While the hard core Challenge nuts crossed the crest at Echo Col and met bad weather on the Black Divide, seven of us (Laura, Joan, Tommey, Carol, Jeff, Jim, and I) headed for Ski Mountaineers peak first followed by Mt Thompson via its tricky but highly satisfying north ridge. Once on top, Tommey continued on to Pt Powell while the others returned the way they came. I continued the grand loop by dropping down Thompson's horrible SE chute and climbing the only weakness (a class 2 chute) on Mt Gilbert's west side. Bypassing the summit due to bad weather (and having climbed it before), I climbed over Mt Johnson (with thunderstorms both north and south of me) before returning via the Treasure Lakes basin. Pictures & Story
mrchad9 - Jun 18, 2013 4:56 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2013Southwest Face
Really enjoyed this day overall, in part due to visiting the three summits of Mount Powell in the morning. Then over to Mount Thompson after barely dropping into the basin to the west. Splendid views and weather all day, and had Sunset Lake all to myself the night before.
tdoughty - May 19, 2013 7:34 pm Date Climbed: May 31, 1987In the distant past
With P. Dowdy: Up and down the Harrington while the wifes battled moths back in the cabin
dshoshone - Sep 25, 2012 12:07 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2012From Sabrina
Made the up and down slog.. then went on to Powell
Darren9 - May 28, 2012 2:01 am Date Climbed: May 27, 2012Harrington early season
SMG basecamped in the Thompson Gilbert basin late May and our first climb upon reaching camp was the Harrington, accomplished with six climbers in firm early season conditions, downclimbing on the descent.
seano - Feb 4, 2012 2:09 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2011Harrington Couloir
A cold, wet powder-fest, where I was hoping for neve or ice. Trip report.
PrestonRhea - Sep 16, 2011 2:30 am Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2011Ice
Soloed the NW Face I am guessing, left of Moynier Couloir. Found mostly fresh snow on rock with a couple good bands of ice in the middle and at the top.
Downclimbed Harrington Couloir, soloed up the Smrz Couloir, then downclimbed Knutson Couloir.
All in all took about 4.5 hours.
bcd - May 14, 2010 10:34 pm Date Climbed: May 14, 2010thompson
up and down the "Non Moynier" couloir, which is a ribbon of snow just left of the Moynier.
soslaw - Oct 21, 2009 5:22 pm Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2005Moynier Couloir
Moynier couloir (to the climber's far right sometimes referred to as the north couloir). It had snowed over night covering the couloir's alpine ice with fresh snow. The chock stone covered with fresh snow made this pitch live up to its crux rep. Low clouds and a fresh dusting of the surrounding peaks made for great vistas on top. Because of the fresh snow we did not descend the Thompson ridge, but rapped the Knutsen couloir.
physics - Jul 29, 2008 4:58 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2008Route Climbed: Moynier Couloir Date Climbed: July 27, 2008
A good day out w/ Tim from USC; couloir was melting out up top; we will never go near the Thompson ridge again - that place is a death trap.
Brad Mastros - Jun 29, 2008 1:00 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008Moynier Couloir
Miguel Forjan and I climbed the Moynier Couloir in great conditions. One of the
best sierra climbs I have done, steep ice and some mixed climbing.
MichaelJ - Mar 20, 2006 8:48 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2005Harrington Couloir
Easy neve climb for most of the way with patches of ice. Last pitch was the crux: several inches of snow covering steep brittle ice, both of which I unfortunately sent down on the party below. Bit of a hike to the summit but a great day, despite the ensuing rap epic detailed in my TR.
PellucidWombat - Dec 16, 2005 9:45 pmRoute Climbed: September 25th, 2005 Date Climbed: Harrington Couloir
fun climb, good friends, and sunny weather. What more could one ask for?!
soslaw - Oct 10, 2005 12:23 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2005Route Climbed: Harrington Couloir
Climbed with Peter Doucette. Ascent was via the Harrington couloir was a straight forward hard neve and alpine ice climb followed by a descent of the Knutsen couloir.
awagher - Oct 3, 2005 1:50 pmRoute Climbed: Harrington Couloir Date Climbed: sept 25th, 2005
Climbed the route by soloing and simulclimbing with 3 on the rope. Long day out. 5 man rap stations took hours to get down. Great fun though. Did not summit. My ankle was killing me. Got back to the car around 11:pm.
Matt K - Sep 28, 2005 4:48 pmRoute Climbed: Harrington Couloir Date Climbed: Sept. 25th, 2005
Simul-climbed with forjan and awagher on a beautiful day. Also on the route were MichaelJ and Pellucidwombat. The 5 of us rapped down together, which was a BAD idea. 5 raps with 5 people took 5 hours.
asmrz - Apr 17, 2005 3:07 amRoute Climbed: Central (Smrz) Couloir Date Climbed: Mid 90s
Sometimes in mid to late nineties (96?) Gerry Cox invited me to climb the central couloir on Mt.Thompson. RJ Secor told Gerry that the central Couloir on the North face of Thompson was not climbed so Gerry told me, let''s go have a look at it. ( The couloir was first climbed in 1990 by John Moynier and Scott Andrews, we learned later). When we reached the Thompson Glacier, Gerry came down with terrible flu so I decided to have a look at the gully myself. I climbed the gully and the rock section in the middle (5.6?) and managed to get up it in about 2.5 hours. The problem was that the Thompson North Ridge descent with fresh snow on it looked anything but 3rd class. I didn't think I could down climb this so after some introspection I downclimbed the Harrington Couloir. Exciting...Gerry saw me coming down that gully and thought I was totally nuts, but he didn't know what the Thompson descent looked like.. Some years later, in his Second Edition, RJ Secor named the couloir after me, one of the honors I will never get over. Imagine to have your name on anything in the Sierra Nevada? Thanks Robert.
asmrz - Apr 17, 2005 2:49 amRoute Climbed: Moynier Couloir Date Climbed: October 01, 2000
Michael Gordon and I climbed the Moynier Couloir on good and solid alpine ice in October 2000. I found this gully to be as good (and steep) as the legendary Mendel Couloir Right with the short rock section even harder than Mendel. We soloed the first 4-5 pitches and roped about 2 pitches before the rock pitch. The climb was much easier than the descent. The N Ridge of Thompson proved to be much more interesting proposition, if you go down this way, follow the ridge way out till you see easier ground. We didn't and found ourselfes in tough ground. 3 hours up, 5 hours down. Great climbing, great gully, my hat's off to you Mr. Moynier to solo this on first ascent.


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Wüsthof Classic 4-Piece Steak Knife Set
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- Summary
Form and function combine in these top-quality steak knives. Made in Germany of a special alloyed surgical steel, the blades hold an extra-sharp edge. Each knife has a tang that extends the entire length of the handle for superb balance.
- Set includes four 4 1/2" steak knives.
- Each knife is precision forged from a single piece of sturdy high-carbon steel that resists stains and corrosion.
- Full tangs are triple riveted to the handles for exceptional durability and control.
- Wüsthof's Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) ensures a 20% sharper blade with twice the edge retention.
- Polypropylene handles are contoured for a comfortable grip.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 4 1/2"-long blade.
- 4 1/2"-long handle.
- 2.3 oz.
- Made in Germany.
- Use & Care
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Rated 5 out of 5 by CITsac from Like cutting through butter These are the best steak knives I've ever used, including knives at upscale expensive restaurants. Before this set, we had cheap serrated steak knives that you had to saw through meat with and always seemed to shred your perfectly cooked meal. These knives are glorious and cut through steak, pork chops, and chicken like butter! The seamless design between blade and handle is beautiful and feels really well-made in hand.Date published: 2016-05-03Rated 2 out of 5 by Paigie from steak knives I have other Wustof knives that I love, and thought I was ordering more of them. Sadly, these had a cheaper version of the blade and the handles are plastic. The are very sharp but an inferior product compared to others Wustof knives I own.Date published: 2016-01-01Rated 4 out of 5 by onabudget from Awesome knifes No more complaints about having a hard time cutting thick beef at dinner time. I love Wusthof Classic knifes and this set does not disappoint. Although, I still don't understand why they are only sold in sets of 4, rather than the 6 expected at home and by the Wusthof knife blocks.Date published: 2015-10-10Rated 5 out of 5 by Alohadude from Makes eating meat more fun These knives are so darn good, they actually make eating a buttery steak or pork chop more pleasurable.Date published: 2013-06-04Rated 5 out of 5 by MOMA from Great knives Ordered one set of these knives and LOVED them so much we ordered a second set. They are really sharp, don't bend, and can be resharpened when needed with the Wusthof sharpener. Haven't had to yet. Love them. especially on sale!Date published: 2012-12-23Rated 5 out of 5 by Docjj1 from Excellent Steak Knives These Wusthof knives are excellent. They are very well balanced and extremely sharp. They will last for years.Date published: 2012-08-03Rated 5 out of 5 by Merced04 from Very Nice Steak Knives I haven't had steak knives for many years and decided to try these. I am very pleased with them. They are very well designed and balanced and cut steak like butter.Date published: 2012-07-12Rated 5 out of 5 by kmacman from Great Knives I have other Wusthof knives in my kitchen, so when I saw these, I hoped they would be as good, and these did not dissappoint. Good looking (typical Wusthof motiff), and well balanced in the hand. They are very sharp (I can't stand dull knives), and hold their edges well....cuts meat like butter. By far, the best steak knives I have owned.Date published: 2012-06-27
Does this set include a presentation/storage box?Hi Erin, No, this set of steak knives do not come in a presentation/storage box.Date published: 2019-11-03

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When: Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Coors Events Center
Saturday's game against Oregon State marks the last regular season game of senior Sabatino Chen's collegiate career. The Monarch High graduate spent his first two years playing basketball for the University of Denver before transferring to CU before the 2010-2011 season, which he took as his mandatory transfer redshirt year.
Last season, Chen played in 35 games, helped the Buffs win the Pac-12 title and was part of the team's first NCAA tournament appearance since the 2002-2003 season.
Chen wants to finish his career with another NCAA tournament appearance, he said, though first he wants to finish the regular season on a high note by toppling Oregon State.
How are you feeling before senior day?
It hasn't really set in yet. It's kind of weird–last time I'll be playing in here, last time seeing most of these guys for a whole. (I have) mixed emotions.
When do you expect it to set in?
I don't know, hopefully not until after the Oregon State game just because I don't want it to affect how I play or anything.
What do you see as your leadership style on this team?
I've never been a guy to just get in someone's face and yell at them because I feel like I don't respond well to that when coaches get in my face and yell at me. I think it's better to bring a guy to the side and tell them what you see and help them out and coach them from experience.
What's the best memory you've got from being on this team?
Right now it would just be that Pac-12 run (to win the Pac-12 title) we had last year, just because I've never been a part of something like that and it was always my dream to go to the NCAA tournament. And we did it, against all odds. That was the thing that stands out the most.
That lost second shot against Arizona — what were you thinking before, during and after that shot?
I wasn't really nervous but just kind of feeling like, our whole team was (saying) "We can't believe we let this lead slip." We had one last play, and we were really good at executing this play. And they actually stopped it so. I was supposed to pass to Ski (Askia Booker), and they stopped him so I didn't really know what to do. I looked up at the clock and (there were) two seconds left so I made a move and shot it. It banked in and I just froze. I didn't really know what that meant. My teammates just came running at me, and I thought I had won the game on their court. Up and down emotions.
It was tough just because Andre (Roberson) was fouled out, and going into overtime without him was hard enough. Spencer (Dinwiddie) had four fouls, and it felt like we had won the game. We left everything we had out there and then we were told we had to go again for five minutes, against a team that had momentum and had their whole court.
How do you get over a disappointment like that?
Personally you just have to try to put it in the past as much as possible, but whether guys admit it or not, I think it affected us. We went on a slump there, lost four out of five games after that. But not many teams go through that adversity. I think down the stretch it's helped us. We've had strange games this year. Utah, we were down 25, came back within one and almost won it. Oregon we were down the whole game and ended up winning. It's just helped us out, we feel like we can beat anybody, any time.
How has that last-second shot affected you and your career?
I don't really know right now just because I want to try to play after, overseas. But I think that shot kind of maybe got my name out there to guys that never would've heard about me otherwise. So it got my name out there and maybe guys overseas are like, "Hey, let's take a look at this guy." Maybe the Asian leagues, too, because of my last name, Chen. It could be a blessing in disguise.
Growing up around here, playing for Monarch — looking back, what has playing for CU meant to you?
It's a dream come true just because my goal in high school was at first to get a scholarship for a D-I school. If I could choose any school it would be a big-time school, close to my home, so CU fit that profile pretty well. It's been everything I could ask for. My family gets to see me every game, a lot of local guys see me. It's just fun playing in front of your home crowd.
Do you feel like a role model for other local guys playing high school ball?
I think there's a lot of pressure in high school basketball. Just guys are told early what they can and can't do, and I think as long as you work hard and stay after it and stay positive, things will work out for you.
Who's been your biggest supporter throughout your career?
I'd say my parents, my high school coach and Coach Boyle. Even though I didn't play for him right away, (we) have known each other since my junior year of high school. He recruited me at Greeley, so right when he heard I was transferring he said he wants me to play for him. When he got the job here he said, "I still want you to play for me, I think you can play with anybody." He's helped the most in a strictly basketball sense, and my parents for moral support.
What's been the best piece of advice you've gotten at CU?
Your mindset, your attitude affects everything that happens to you. Sometimes you can't control what situations occur, but you can make the most of it. I'll take that away. In the future, you don't know what's going to happen. Right now this is probably one of the happiest times in my life.
What do you want your legacy to be here at CU?
Definitely I'd like to be recognized as one of the guys on the team that took CU to the NCAA tournament back-to-back years. That would be amazing. Just being known as that guy. Right when I got here people were questioning, "Why did Coach Boyle bring him? Why is he on scholarship?" Because I came from a small school at DU, and wasn't recruited that highly out of Monarch. And now I've started games for a major conference. And hopefully I'll get to play on a national stage in the tournament this year.
Any parting thoughts for your team or supporters and fans?
It's been a hell of a ride, and I couldn't have asked for anything more and I greatly appreciate everything they've given to me.
–Follow Sarah Kuta on Twitter: @SarahKuta.


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Why Traceability Matters to Supply Chains
Why Traceability Matters to Supply Chains
What are you wearing? Where did it came from? How much energy went into it? How much pollution was generated by its production and shipping?
You almost surely don't know, and you may not care, but brands and retailers are digging deep into their supply chains to better understand the environmental and social impact of the things they make and sell. This is an emerging trend in business that goes by the name of traceability or supply chain transparency. It requires companies to understand the full depths of their supply chains much better than most do. Companies getting serious about traceability include Patagonia, Wal-Mart, Tesco and Gap. More are sure to follow.
"If you don't know where your stuff is coming from. how can you have a sustainability program?" asks Tim Wilson, the CEO of a British company called Historic Futures that specializes in traceability.
Tim talked about traceability on a panel that I moderated at FORTUNE's Brainstorm Green conference about business and the environment. He was joined by Mike Kowalski, the CEO of Tiffany & Co., Kathy Abusow of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Jill Dumain of Patagonia, Arlin Wasserman of Sodexo and Jeremy Moon, the CEO of Icebreaker. Icebreaker is a fascinating company that makes clothing from New Zealand merino wool and invites customers to trace their garments back to the farmers who raised the sheep that made it—using a (Get it?) Baacode. Very cool, and here's the Icebreaker story.
From the composition of that panel, you can see that traceability crosses diverse industries—jewelry, wood and paper, food and clothing. In every case, the goal is to de-commoditize commodities—that is, to distinguish between gold mined under safe conditions in the U.S. and gold mined by children in Africa, or between wood that is harvested sustainably and wood that has been illegally logged. Fortune.com just published a brief story that I did about traceability. Here's how it begins:
Laguna Niguel, Calif. – Where was the cotton in your shirt grown? Who mined the gold in your wedding ring? What forest produced the paper in the magazine you are reading?
You almost surely don't know, but a growing number of brands and retailers want to dig deep into their supply chains to better understand the roots (sometimes literally) of the products they sell. Their goal: to avoid risks and enhance their reputation as "green" business leaders, says Tim Wilson, the 41-year-old CEO of Historic Futures, a little British company that is riding a big idea in sustainability, known as traceability.
Using Internet-based systems and RFID tags, Historic Futures tracks such commodities as cotton and gold through the long and previously opaque supply chains of Wal-Mart, Gap, and Patagonia, among others.
Patagonia has done a terrific job of explaining traceability to the public on a website called The Footprint Chronicles. (That's a graphic from the site below.) The Environmental Defense Fund spotlighted the work done by Patagonia in its 2009 Innovations Review, which I helped EDF to write. EDF also highlighted Wal-Mart's Love, Earth line of jewelry—which promises customers that the gold and silver jewelry they buy has been mine and produced responsibly.
Here is a link to the EDF report about traceability, headlined Shining a Spotlight on the Supply Chain. Here's a link to EDF's account explaining how Wal-Mart created its Love, Earth line of jewelry, with the help of Historic Futures. Another example of traceability: Wal-Mart and Tesco have vowed not to buy clothing made with cotton farmed in Uzbekhistan, where child labor is rampant, requiring them to ask all their suppliers to know where their cotton is sourced.
Traceability isn't a new idea, of course. We couldn't have organic food or Fair Trade coffee or salmon certified by the Marine Stewardship Council without transparent supply chains that track goods from the store shelf back to the farm or fishery. But judging from the crowd at our Brainstorm Green panel on traceability, you'll be hearing more about it in the years ahead.
Shipping photos CC-licensed by Flickr users smitty42 and grantsviews.


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Workers have completed work on the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.
Scaffolding was taken down Saturday morning after preservationists from the Historic Preservation Training Center removed a controversial quote from the side of the statue.
The quote, "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness," was paraphrased from the civil rights leader's "Drum Major" speech.
Critics had said the quote made King sound arrogant.
Work began in July to remove the quote, but problems arose when sandblasting work was left out of the contract. Various materials were tried, including walnut shells, until a fine powder was used that would not mar the statue.
The 50th anniversary of the March on Washington is scheduled for August 28.


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HIGH winds and heavy showers are expected to arrive in the north of England at some stage over the next 48 hours as the remnants of Storm Stella hit the UK.
The north-eastern corner of America is just about recovering after heavy snow and gale-force winds hit them earlier this week. Now the Met Office has confirmed that while we will not see anything like the scenes in the USA, we will have a sustained period of high winds, possibly gales, and plenty of rain as the storm makes its way over the Atlantic toward Iceland.


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There are days when I really think that I am "cupcake cursed" because I seem to have trouble baking perfectly risen, domed cupcakes consistently. I like to blame the high altitude, because it really can't be me, can it? It was also Friday the 13th, so maybe I was just jinxed.
It was the day before our friends' annual backyard "Shuttlecock Tournament" a day of badminton games, in which, if you want to play, you have to wear a goofy costume - one year, a few girls dressed up as the actual birdie, with little red caps and fluffy white Tu-tus pulled up high around their waists. There's always lots of food, drinks and music, as well as trying to stay cool while hanging out outside all day.
After deciding against trying to make anything badminton-themed, like little birdie-shaped cupcakes, I found myself thinking of cupcakes baked in ice cream cones, then decorated to look like different flavors of scoops of ice cream. And so I set about baking chocolate cupcakes, turning sugar cones upside down on top of the batter, thinking they would stand up straight and bake really nicely with the cake filling up the inside. The cake did bake up inside the cones really well, but they refused to stand up straight, fell all over the place, got unappealingly soggy from the cake, burned and split open at the points... everything was a complete mess, to say the least.
It was also a new cake recipe I hadn't tried before, which is never a good idea when you don't have time to test it. And I've read plenty of recipes online where ice cream cones are baked this way, and come out looking just perfect, so I just don't know why mine didn't. So after wasting ingredients for homemade chocolate cake and 24 sugar cones (all in the trash at this point), it was 9:30 at night and we hadn't eaten dinner yet. I had planned to make goat cheese and mushroom ravioli, with shrimp and white wine sauce, but was too tired and not even really hungry any more, so we warmed up leftovers instead.
Saturday morning, I woke up resolved to try again. I had five hours before I had to take my car to get my windshield replaced, after which we would be heading to our friends' house, so I had plenty of time.
I mixed up a new batch of chocolate cake batter, filled the muffin cups, and set them in the oven to bake (at this point, I had given up the notion of the ice cream cones). But for whatever reason, the batter overflowed the edges of the pan and sank in the middle of each cake! It was another hot mess. And with a recipe that I'd made into successful cupcakes several times before, so it simply seemed that cupcake karma just wasn't on my side.
You might think that at this point I would have just given up completely. After all, I already had a pan of cookie bars I'd made to take to the party, and yet... I had my heart set on making these cupcakes and had already bought the ingredients for and planned out how to decorate them. And so, I drove to the grocery store and bought a box of chocolate cake mix. Don't judge me, I'm only human. And those box mixes have a secret that makes them pretty much fool-proof. I need to find out that secret...
Twenty-four perfect chocolate cupcakes later, I was ready to decorate with my three flavors of buttercream and a counter covered with an assortment of sprinkles, nuts, ganache, cherries, chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers.
Topped with a decadently unhealthy but delicious amount of buttercream and adorned with their respective garnishes, I finished my ice cream parlor cupcakes with three flavors: S'mores, Mint Chocolate Chip and Ice Cream Sundae. And even without the ice cream cones, I thought they turned out pretty darn adorable, especially all packed up in a couple of pretty striped hat boxes with polka dot lids.
I heard they tasted amazing, too, and they disappeared long before the day was over. After all that, I didn't eat a single cupcake!
Ice Cream Parlor Cupcakes
"Mint Chocolate Chip
"Ice Cream Sundae"
printable recipes
everything you'll need... (individual recipes below)
- 24 cupcakes, completely cooled (chocolate or vanilla work well with all the flavors of frosting used)
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- green gel food coloring
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 3 graham crackers
- 1 Hershey's milk chocolate bar
- 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- colored sprinkles
- 1/8 cup finely chopped nuts
- 8 maraschino cherries, with stems
Chocolate Buttercream and making the S'mores Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 3 graham crackers
- 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 Hershey's milk chocolate bar, broken into pieces
- 8 cupcakes
Break the remaining graham cracker along the "cut" lines into 4 pieces, then break each of those in half.
Spread the buttercream ("pile" might be a better term, since the buttercream is difficult to "spread" with the add-ins) on top of the cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with the remaining marshmallows, a piece of graham cracker, and a piece of Hershey's bar.
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
Divide buttercream in half.
Mint Buttercream and making the Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Half of the vanilla buttercream, from above
- green gel food coloring
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 8 cupcakes
Spread frosting onto the cupcakes then sprinkle the tops with the rest of the mini chocolate chips.
Making the Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes
- Half of the vanilla buttercream, from above
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- colored sprinkles
- 1/8 cup finely chopped nuts
- 8 maraschino cherries, with stems
- 8 cupcakes
First, you will need to make chocolate ganache, which is what looks like hot fudge dripping over the cupcakes. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and gently warm over medium-low heat, just until bubbles start to form. Meanwhile, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let stand for 3 minutes, then stir with a spatula until completely smooth. Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Scoop the vanilla buttercream into a piping bag (or plastic zip lock bag) fitted with a star tip. Pipe the buttercream onto 4 of the cupcakes, making it look like soft-serve ice cream. Spoon about two teaspoons of the cooled chocolate ganache over the buttercream, letting it run down the sides like hot fudge. Top with sprinkles, chopped nuts and a maraschino cherry.
Take the remaining 4 cupcakes and dip them directly into the ganache, so that they are covered with a smooth layer of chocolate. Pipe the remainder of the vanilla buttercream on top of each, like a mound of whipped cream. Top with sprinkles, chopped nuts and a maraschino cherry.
Recipes and Concepts from Curly Girl Kitchen


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Democrats, union leaders question Maine governor's civil emergency order
Gov. LePage defends action as effort to deal with effect of government shutdown
Maine Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday became the first governor in the U.S. to declare a civil emergency because of the federal government shutdown.
Video: LePage explains civil emergency declaration
LePage met with lawmakers Thursday to discuss the effects of his proclamation. There are many unknowns about how long the government shutdown will last and how it will affect the state.
The quick and unprecedented declaration of a civil emergency was met with mixed reactions Thursday.
"We looked at the laws and this gives us some more flexibility to manage the crisis that's all this does," LePage said. "It's a tool."
LePage said the move allows him to ensure unemployment benefits for more than 2,700 state employees will be paid with federal funding if they are furloughed. The workers would not be required to seek other jobs to collect the benefits, he said.
"It is my goal solely to get money in state employees' pockets as quickly as possible because we don't have the federal funds," LePage said.
During a civil emergency, the governor can bypass state laws or rules if they hinder or delay effective management. Maine Republican leaders said they support LePage's decision.
"This is the course that he has decided to take and I'm supportive of it because I think it's a responsibility that he has as a businessman running a state to say, 'Do we have monies to pay these bills?'" said Rep. Ken Fredette, the minority leader in the state House of Representatives.
Democratic leaders requested the governor amend his proclamation to include an end date and specific intentions. They said their request was met with a cold shoulder.
"We are concerned because the governor is unwilling to be clear about what new authority he is granting himself that the books are open," Maine Speaker of the House Mark Eves said.
A representative from the Maine State Employees Association said the LePage's proposal had never been discussed before despite several meetings with the governor's office last week.
"We feel that this action right here is basically instead of negotiations, he's dropped the nuclear bomb on this one," said Chris Quint of the State Employees Association. "This is unnecessary and unwarranted, and we wish it had never happened."
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said she is not happy with the governor's decision.
"I'm not sure why there was such a broad order issued by the governor last night and I'm certainly not sure why it was issued after the appropriations committee and the human services committee spent most of the day talking with the administration and with the budget director without this proposal or possibility even once being brought up. That is troubling in itself," Mills said.
Mills said her office will be looking into LePage's decision.
LePage's next meeting with lawmakers is scheduled for early next week.


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Activities: Gastronomy, Kayak, Flora, wildlife observation
Activities: Hike, trekking, Mysticism, shamanism, Natural Areas Visits
Activities: Bicycle, Hike, trekking, Guided visits
Activities: Hike, trekking, Caving, Gastronomy


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Day's Best: Graywater bill advances
It's ridiculous that Colorado is the only Western state that doesn't allow its residents to reuse graywater – water from your shower, sink or washing machine – to water lawns or flush toilets.
Fortunately, House Bill 1044 could change that. As reported by The Denver Post's Lynn Bartels, House Bill 1044, sponsored by Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, and Rep. Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins, legalizes the use of graywater and calls for regulations to protect public health. It also allows cities and counties to issue graywater permits to single- or multi-family dwellings.
Supporters say a household with four people could save 58,000 gallons a year if it had a graywater filtration system installed, an amazing statistic that will only become more relevant in the coming years.
Prior efforts to legalize the use of graywater have failed amid concerns about downstream water rights. But this year's bill is endorsed by the Colorado Water Congress. This year's bill has already passed the House and is making its way through the Senate.
We're all in favor of allowing Coloradans the ability to conserve our precious water, and we say going gray is a good thing in this case.


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Stress in the workplace
Rob And Neil discuss a rise in the number of people suffering from stress in the workplace.
The question is: According to a survey carried out this year, what is considered to be the most stressful job? Is it:
a) A commercial airline pilot
b) A school teacher
c) A surgeon
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
-Vocabulary to understand the text:
a feeling of tension and worry
being unavailable
difficult, hard
people who are paid to work for somebody
taking its toll
causing suffering, harm or damage
public sector
part of the economy that is controlled or supported financially by the government
organisational change
replacing the structure of a workplace with a different one
job security
the probability of someone keeping their job for a long time
jobs which will stop existing
a strategy
a plan to achieve something
professional advice about a problem, often relating to mental health
Handwriting for the modern age
Rob and Cath talk about fonts and how the choice of fonts can indicate what type of person you are.
The question is: Do you know which language the word 'font' originates from? Is it:
a) Spanish
b) German
c) French
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
-Vocabulary to understand this text:
different styles and sizes of letters that are used in printing or typing
an array
a group or collection of things or people, often large or impressive
the way of preparing and arranging printed material, especially designing how text will appear when it's printed
the art of producing beautiful handwriting often using a brush or a special pen
simple and basic
qualities or features that are typical of someone or something
concerned with reducing suffering and improving the conditions that people live in
efficient and effective
disliked very much
light-hearted, full of confidence and energetic
Aboriginal bones
Rob and Cath talk about why it's important that Aboriginal bones, which were kept in museums, are being returned to their people.
The question is:
Where in your body would you find the humerus bone? In your:
a) leg
b) arm
c) head
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
-The vocabulary to understand the text is:
A native of a country or region is somebody who was born there.
An object which is of interest to archaeologists, usually something made by humans.
The people we are descended from: our parents, grandparents, etc.
People who originally belonged to a place.
To look after something for someone.
Extreme unhappiness, pain or upset.
A formal or religious event, such as a wedding or a burial.
Actions which are traditionally carried out in a particular situation or ceremony.
Something that makes you feel very emotional.
To put your arms around somebody or something.
A group of people who work together to persuade an organisation to do something.
Rob and Stephen talk about new changes to ancient laws about succession in the British monarchy.
The question is: This is a royal question! Can you tell me which King did the current British Queen, Queen Elizabeth the Second, succeed? Was it:
a) King George the Fifth
b) King George the Sixth
c) King Edward the Eighth
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
-The vocabulary to understand the text is:
act or process of following in order or sequence
a king or queen who reigns over a country
gives up a position of being a king or a queen
no longer useful or relevant
a positive opinion of someone or something
preference of something or someone over other similar things or persons
ruled out
prevented from happening or from being possible
important in history
changes and improvements to the law, social system or institution
carrying out a plan, system or law
Sarkozy told Obama that the Israeli Prime Minister was a liar. It was a private conversation. The only problem was the microphone was turned on. Find out about this and other political gaffes with Neil and Callum.
The question is: A question about Presidents. Who is the President of Germany? Is it:
a) Angela Merkel
b) Christian Wulff
c) Jurgen Klinsmann
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
-The vocabulary to understand the text is:
political gaffes
something a politician says or does which wasn't meant to be heard and causes embarrassment or offence
heard something without meaning to or without the speakers' knowledge
ethically unsound
below the standards of their profession
a politeness and respect for someone or something
a person with strong and unreasonable opinions which they won't change despite evidence
the final nail in the coffin
the last in a series of events leading to the failure of something
Night Skies
The best places to see stars are the darkest places on the planet, like deserts and mountain tops. Recently, it has been discovered that Exmoor National Park, in south-west England, is one of the best places in the UK to see stars because it's so dark there at night. It's even been awarded special protection status. Find out more about this with Neil and Callum.
The question is: how many moons has the biggest planet in the solar system, Jupiter, got? Is it:
a) 1
b) 12
c) 64
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
-The vocabulary to understand this text is:
light pollution
artificial light at night which makes the night sky lighter and means stars can't be seen very well
describes the way light from stars seems to shine strongly then weakly
an object which moves around a larger object in space
star gazer
someone who enjoys looking at stars
realm of opportunity
chances to explore a certain area of interest
amateur astronomers
people who study the stars as a hobby
TV Addicts
Most people can't imagine life without TV, yet it's only 75 years since regular broadcasting began.
The question is: how many hours a week on average does someone in the UK watch television? Is it:
a) 20 hours
b) 30 hours
c) 40 hours
Listen out for the answer at the end of the programme!
The vocabulary to understand the text is:
someone who can't stop doing something (usually something harmful like taking drugs but also time-consuming activities like watching TV)
a method of communication, such as radio, TV or newspapers
a method of sending messages over long distances using radio or electric signals
to settle for (something)
to accept something less than you hoped for
relating to what can be seen
new or being tried for the first time
relating to powers that we cannot understand
companies that produce things
high definition
a new, high standard for TV quality
spoilt for choice
a phrase meaning to have too many options or things to choose from


text:
Germany defender Mats Hummels may have been unfamiliar with the Northern Ireland tale prior to Euro 2016, but he has quickly turned into a fan of the Conor Washington and Will Grigg stories.
Michael O'Neill's side became the first ever team to top a Euros qualifying group having been drawn from pot five and their reward was clashes in France with Poland, Ukraine and the world champions Germany, whom they meet in their final Group C game in Paris this evening.
They were a largely unknown quantity to Hummels, who has never played against Northern Ireland in his career, but the popularity of one-time postman Washington and cult hero Grigg has garnered admiration from the 27-year-old.
And, in the unlikely event Wigan striker Grigg appears on the pitch at the Parc des Princes, Hummels confirmed that, although he is not 'terrified' of him, he will be asking for the Northern Irishman's number nine jersey due to the social media buzz his chant has created.
"Well, although I like the song and these actions, I would like to agree (that Germany are terrified) but it's not quite right," he said.
"I've heard about this call to the firefighters, I love that story! I'll try to give my jersey (to him) tomorrow. I don't want them to score but yes, I'm already a great fan of his."
The defender, who is swapping Borussia Dortmund for Bayern Munich this summer, stopped short of chanting the 'Will Grigg's On Fire' ditty himself, though, adding: "I'm maybe the worst singer in this team so I won't do this!"
One player more likely to see the field Paris is Washington, who started up front in Lyon against Ukraine and may retain his spot for a clash which could seal Northern Ireland's last-16 progress.
The QPR striker was delivering post while playing non-league football four years ago and his rise, similar to that of England's Jamie Vardy, has impressed Hummels.
"I've heard about the story, I love stories like that," he added.
"We know they live from the emotions and are supported from the fans, I think one-tenth of the Northern Irish are present right here at this tournament. It's more difficult for us, we can't transport eight million people over here!"
The most recent meeting between the two countries came 11 years ago when a Germany team that played with 10 men for 75 minutes recorded a 4-1 victory in Belfast.
However, Hummels believes they can look to their qualifying games against the Republic of Ireland and Scotland for an indication of what to expect from their foe on Tuesday.
"It's not a big surprise that we didn't know that much about Northern Ireland; I haven't played them yet in my international career," he said.
"The British teams are often very similar in that style of play, we played Scotland and Ireland in the qualifiers.
"We saw how strong these teams can be, physically and mentally, how passionate, so we know it's a possibility that they can gain the confidence to beat us if we let them gain this confidence.
"We will try to be the better team from the first minute so they don't start believing in themselves, that they are able to win."
Hummels conducted the press conference alongside Germany's assistant manager Thomas Schneider as boss Joachim Low, who was present for the training session, had a sore throat.
It did not seem that was brought on from yelling at his team following the 0-0 draw with Poland last Thursday, though.
"Even if we don't play so well in one game he will trust in us in the next game," Hummels explained.
"He wasn't loud in the dressing room against Poland, not as loud as (Liverpool's former Dortmund coach) Jurgen Klopp would have been. I have never seen anybody as loud as Mr Klopp before."


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The FDA has told the makers of the proposed weight-loss drug Lorcaserin that it will not at this time approve the marketing of the medication, citing concerns about its marginal effectiveness and about cancers that occurred at higher-than-usual rates in animal studies. [Updated Oct. 25, 10:35 a.m. An earlier version of this article said cancers occurred at higher-than-usual-rates during clinical trials.]
The FDA's decision comes just two weeks after the makers of the prescription diet-pill Meridia pulled it from the U.S. and Canadian markets at the request of the FDA. It is the first signal of how the U.S. drug agency will deliberate on a trio of new weight-loss drugs proposed for the U.S. market, where about one in three adults are obese.
Arena Pharmaceuticals, the San Diego drug company that has developed Lorcaserin in partnership with Eisai Co., released the contents of an FDA letter Saturday in which the agency outlined its concerns. Among those concerns were weight-loss results that failed to rise to the FDA's standards for approval, and a worrisome increase in cancerous breast and brain tumors in rats that were given a dose of the drug that is higher than that proposed for humans. A clinical trial of Lorcaserin published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that two-thirds of patients lost at least 5% of their body weight, while a third lost at least 10% of body weight, with an average loss of 17 to 18 pounds.
With the results of a new clinical trial on Lorcaserin for obese patients with Type-2 diabetes due to be unveiled in the coming weeks, Arena Pharmaceuticals officials said they will meet with FDA officials soon to address the concerns. The company held out hope for a change of heart on the part of the FDA after those results become available.
"This is an important step for us toward the FDA's approval of Lorcaserin," said Jack Lief, Arena's president and chief executive.
The FDA's preliminary disapproval of Lorcaseri, which works on the brain to alter metabolism and appetite, comes as the agency also considers two other weight-loss drug candidates: Qnexa, a diet drug that combines an anti-seizure drug with a component of the banned diet drug Phen-Fen, and Contrave, a drug that combines the antidepressant Wellbutrin with the addiction drug naltrexone. Qnexa got a thumbs-down recommendation in June from an FDA advisory panel, and the agency is expected to issue a decision on the drug this week. Contrave is to be considered by an FDA advisory panel for the first time in December.
The FDA's approach in recent months to regulating weight-loss drugs has come in for criticism from physicians and other experts, who argue that the agency is too risk-averse in its deliberations. Responding to Saturday's report of the FDA's preliminary decision on Lorcaserin, Morgan Downey, editor and publisher of the Downey Obesity Report, said, "the action of the FDA is consistent with the pattern that no drug for obesity can be approved. They are searching for an unrealistic 'magic bullet.' ... It is about the FDA fear of some future embarrassment."
--Melissa Healy / Los Angeles Times


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text:
Review: Xbox One makes strong play for living room
- The system costs %24499%2C which is %24100 more than Sony%27s rival PlayStation 4
- Consumers get a vastly improved Kinect sensor
- The real draw of Kinect is the improved vocal recognition
In the early days of the video game console, consumers were buying a device built with one purpose: to play games.
That mind-set started to change during the era of Sony's PlayStation 3, Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360, when the inclusion of applications to listen to music, view movies and television shows and surf the Web turned video game consoles into entertainment behemoths.
Microsoft makes arguably the biggest leap toward an all-in-one entertainment future with Xbox One, a stellar system with an impressive set of features to make consuming entertainment more fun. However, the Xbox One could use a bit more polish before it dominates the living room.
The big question is whether Xbox One is worth $499, which is $100 more than Sony's rival PlayStation 4 launched last week. After all, PS4 boasts many of the same features and will play many of the same video games.
What that extra money gets consumers is a vastly improved Kinect sensor and a variety of clever features that truly feel like you've stepped into the next generation --when they work.
Setup is straightforward. Using a Verizon FiOS cable box, I connected it to Xbox One through a HDMI port, and used a second HDMI port to connect to the TV. After setting up your account, calibrating Kinect and adding model information for your TV and cable box, Xbox One takes over. The box is bigger than the Xbox 360, but quiet. If not for the illuminated Xbox logo, it would be hard to tell if its running.
A core piece of this setup is the revamped Kinect, a smaller, more powerful version of the sensor Microsoft released for Xbox 360 in 2010. It tracks users more effectively, especially when sitting down, and will even check your heart rate for apps such as Xbox Fitness, a suite of fitness videos incorporating Kinect. The sensor's range has also been tweaked, so users can be closer to their TVs and utilize smaller spaces.
The real draw of Kinect is the improved vocal recognition. Using "Xbox" to alert the device, users can adjust the volume on their TV, view channel guides and even request channels (Example: "Xbox, watch ESPN.") While inside the OneGuide, the Xbox equivalent to a TV guide, users can add channels to their favorites, create special app channels combining apps such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Video.
Controlling TV with your voice works surprisingly well. I could be across the room and shout "Xbox, volume down" and have it happen. Kinect even corrects itself if it doesn't understand requests. As a father, Disney Junior is a popular channel in my household. Yet, any time I would make the request, Kinect only recognized it as Disney. But as I continued to repeat it, Kinect made the connection and adjusted. Now, I can say "Xbox, Watch Disney Junior" with ease.
The same applies to other elements of the Xbox One menu. Players use their voice to perform tasks from capturing game play to perusing games. Kinect is also great for using Skype, the video-calling service owned by Microsoft. Kinect's camera will follow you around the room, automatically zoom in and out and even frame the shot based on how many people are in the room.
However, Kinect is finicky. It won't recognize every command immediately or it will sometimes send you to the wrong place. There's a bit of a learning curve involved, as users learn what commands work and when to use them. Users have the option of hand gestures to control menus, but it's not as elegant as using your voice. There's also the cool SmartGlass app for Windows, iOS and Android for navigation, as well as, naturally, the Xbox One controller.
The improved controller feels lighter and smaller than the Xbox 360, ditching the bulky battery pack in the back. Vibration features have been refined, focused more on the left and right triggers. When playing a game like Forza Motorsport 5, I can feel the rumble on the left trigger when braking suddenly or to the right if my car is taking a sharp drift. A nifty feature of the controller is Kinect will recognize it on sight without manually pairing, although that's available in case it doesn't work.
Like PlayStation 4, the Xbox One features a streamlined menu making it easier to locate content. The interface breaks down into three hubs: the Home screen, Pins for saving your most popular apps or games, and a Store broken down by Games, Apps, Music and Movies & TV.
One of the new features is Snap, where users can have two apps running at the same time. For example, users can play a game while following the activity of their friends or if you're in dire need of stimulation, play a game and watch TV simultaneously. Some apps work better than others though. Internet Explorer doesn't scale to the one-third of the screen required for Snap, so it's challenging to navigate. Also, when TV is snapped, there's no way to adjust volume separately between games and TV.
Let's not forget the Xbox One is a video game console at heart, and it boasts a strong, diverse lineup at launch.
While most of the third-party titles for Xbox One, such as Battlefield, Call of Duty and Madden NFL, are available on PS4, its first-party selection is solid. From fighting games like Killer Instinct, racers like Forza and family friendly titles such as Zoo Tycoon, there are plenty of different options handy at launch. There's also a variety of apps including Netflix, Hulu, and Xbox One exclusives ESPN and NFL.
Xbox One also includes game capture through Upload Studio. After saying "Xbox, Record That," the device takes a clip of 15 seconds of action. Users go to an Upload Studio to edit the clip, add filters or a picture-in-picture option via Kinect. They can upload the clip to Skydrive, available free to Xbox Live subscribers, and use it anywhere. The console also features Twitch to view feeds of players' games but, unlike PS4, broadcasting games won't be available at launch.
The Xbox One is a formidable video game console, particularly with its improvements to Kinect. The experience isn't consistent and some features need fine-tuning. There are also the lingering long-term questions tied to any video game console launch, such as how the gaming library and entertainment options might expand. Plus, PS4 has a clear advantage on price.
However, the Xbox One represents a significant leap to the next generation.
Score: 3.5 out of 4
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @bam923.


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2007 Ford Fusion
The 2007 Ford Fusion is an excellent choice among midsize sedans and should not be overlooked. The Fusion was introduced as an all-new vehicle for 2006 and it's a superb car. It handles well, looks purposeful, it's comfortable, and it delivers good value.
All-wheel drive is a new option for 2007, and we found the new, all-wheel-drive Ford Fusion extremely stable on wet pavement.
The 2007 Fusion models come standard with side-impact and curtain airbags, an upgrade over 2006. The 2007 models offer Sirius satellite radio and DVD navigation. A front passenger seatback that folds down comes on 2007 Fusion SE and SEL models, making it possible to haul extra-long items, and the 2007 Fusion SE has been upgraded with fog lights and 16-inch wheels.
The Fusion offers a choice of V6 and four-cylinder engines. The four-cylinder offers a five-speed automatic, an impressive feature that offers smoother, more fuel-efficient operation. And the V6 comes with a six-speed automatic, a feature associated with top-end luxury cars. A five-speed manual gearbox is available with the four-cylinder engine.
The cabin is comfortable and well designed with controls are intuitive and easy to operate. The center dash is not spectacularly beautiful, and the interior looks classier in the lighter colors.
Crisp lines, big headlamps and a bold, chrome grille give the Fusion a distinctive appearance that we find attractive.
The Fusion has earned plaudits from consumer surveys. It was the most appealing midsize car in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which surveys owners on product features. The Fusion was second in the Midsize Car category in the 2006 Ideal Vehicle Awards survey conducted by AutoPacific, beaten out by the nearly identical Mercury Milan; the survey focuses on how close automakers came to meeting the desires of the vehicle's target audience. The Fusion won in the Medium Car segment, beating out the Honda Accord and new Volkswagen Jetta, in Strategic Vision's Total Quality Study, which looks at things gone right, things gone wrong and dealership experiences after 90 days of ownership.
Model Lineup
The 2007 Ford Fusion comes with a choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Fusion comes in three trim levels, the S, SE and SEL. The standard engine for all of them is the 2.3-liter four-cylinder Duratec rated at 160 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, a five-speed automatic transmission is optional ($850). A 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 221 horsepower coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission is available in the SE and SEL trims.
The Fusion S ($17,295) comes standard with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, four-wheel disc brakes, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows and mirrors, AM/FM stereo with four speakers and a single CD/MP3 player.
The SE ($18,155) adds a six-way power driver seat, a front-passenger seatback that folds down to handle long cargo, two additional speakers, redundant speed and audio controls on the steering wheel, dual illuminated mirrors in the sun visors, fog lamps, premium six-disc in-dash CD/MP3 player and carbon fiber center stack applique. The SE is available with the V6 ($20,888) or V6 and all-wheel drive ($22,730)
The SEL ($19,250) adds automatic headlights, 17-inch wheels, automatic temperature control, upgraded cloth interior, upgraded wood or piano black interior trim, leather wrapped steering wheel and an analog clock. The SEL is also available with the V6 ($21,975), and with the V6 and all-wheel drive ($23,825).
Leather seating ($895) is available for the SE or SEL. Other options include a DVD-based navigation system ($1,895), satellite radio ($195), heated front seats ($295), and a power moonroof ($795).
Safety features include side curtain airbags for head protection in both rows and seat-mounted side-impact airbags for thorax protection for the front seats. That's in addition to the mandated frontal airbags. LATCH child-seat anchors and rear-door child-safety locks are standard. Three-point belts are provided for all five seating locations, so be sure to wear them because they're your first line of defense in a crash. Optional safety equipment includes anti-lock brakes ($595). Traction control ($95) is available for front-wheel-drive models with V6 engines.
The Ford Fusion has presence, unusual among midsize sedans that tend to blend in to the scenery. Some people, including us, like the aggressive, angular look of the Fusion, some don't. One thing we can add to that is that polarizing designs are often more successful than bland designs that neither offend nor excite anyone. In short, we think this is a good-looking car.
The styling features large headlights and a bold grille. Three thick chrome bars across the grille also make the car look more upmarket than its pricing might suggest. The front bumper almost disappears as there are two chrome strips below it that match the ones on the grille.
When the Fusion was first introduced, Ford executives said its three-bar horizontal grille would become the signature styling cue for Ford cars. Since then it has been seen on concept vehicles, as well as the new Edge crossover vehicle and will show up on the new Focus. This distinctive grille catches your eye on the road, distinguishing the Fusion from other mid-size sedans.
The sides of the car are crisply separated from the hood, roof and rear deck. A crisp fold along the top edges of the front fenders runs all the way back along the edge of the roof to the rear deck.
The design of the Fusion features a wide track, which makes it stand out on the freeway when viewed from behind. A high trunk line and large triangular taillight clusters with chrome trim give the rear end a classy look.
The overall effect is pleasing. The chrome on the car contrasts nicely with the body work, especially on dark-colored models or red. Gaps between body panels seem a bit larger than those on some of the other cars in the class.
Changes for 2007 are subtle. The SE model now has fog lights and comes standard with 16-inch wheels.
All-wheel-drive models have AWD badging on the rear deck. While the 17-inch wheels that drive the AWD SEL models are the same design, they have a tell-tale hash mark to identify all-wheel-drive models.
The Fusion fits into the Ford car lineup between the compact Focus and big Five Hundred sedan. It's slightly smaller than the outgoing Taurus, but it has much the same dimensions as its competitors. Although the Fusion shares its basic floorpan with the Mazda 6, its wheelbase is two inches longer and it is an inch or so wider. Ford also says it is a stiffer bodyshell than the Mazda6, which is good because a rigid structure is the key to a smooth ride and responsive handling.
Interior Features
The cabin of the Ford Fusion is comfortable and benefits from straightforward controls.
The front seats manage to be slightly soft, yet supportive enough for long drives. A standard tilt and telescoping steering wheel and the six-way power adjustable driver's seat, standard on the SE and SEL models, helps drivers whether short or tall get comfortable.
In keeping with its European influence, Ford has chosen to go with the soft touch for surface materials, which is expected in a luxury car but not in a mass-market car. The car we drove had a dark charcoal interior so everything was finished in black. The optional two-tone interior, especially the dark stone and camel with faux wood trim looks more inviting. The lighter colored interiors look friendlier.
The dashboard is a straightforward design that runs horizontally across the car's width with just a binnacle above the instrument pod. It contains four small gauges that are easy to read as they are separated from each other rather than overlapping and the figures are in a large font. Decent sized buttons make the radio and climate controls easy to operate. The center stack is simple and boasts straightforward controls that are easy to operate, though it is not beautiful to behold.
A convenient storage bin on top of the dashboard features a large clamshell lid and it's big enough to hold a phone or small camera as well as maps and the like. The center console, door pockets, and front seatback pockets provide additional storage.
New for SE and SEL models for 2007 is a front passenger seatback that folds down, making it possible to haul extra-long items. And heated front seats are an option on SEL models with leather seating.
Rear-seat passengers will find a decent amount of leg room with nicely shaped front seatbacks that allow for plenty of foot space. Head and leg room measurements don't put the Fusion at the top of its class, but the back seat feels roomier than the numbers suggest.
The Fusion has a good-size trunk with a flat floor and low lift-over height, making it easier to load groceries, luggage or cargo. All Fusion models include a 60/40 split rear seatback, which allows for a generous amount of pass-through space. The scissor-type hinges avoid the annoyance of luggage being crushed by gooseneck hinges.
Driving Impressions
The Ford Focus delivers responsive handling, solid high-speed stability, and a nice, smooth ride.
We've found it handles well, something we've gleaned on curvy mountain roads above Hollywood and on a wet handling course in Dearborn. The rack-and-pinion steering is precise with just the right amount of weight to make the driver feel connected to the road without being twitchy. The Fusion feels bigger and heavier than it looks, but it also offers excellent stability.
The Fusion's nice combination of ride and handling are benefits of the rigid structure it shares with the Mazda6. The Fusion's stability is a benefit of its relatively long wheelbase and wide track, longer and wider than the Mazda version. The front suspension is a short/long arm design while the rear wheels are anchored through a multi-link setup. The bushings and hydraulic engine mounts are designed to keep vibration and road noise to a minimum. For the most part they do this, though some other cars in this class seem quieter.
The all-wheel-drive Fusion offers excellent handling stability and grip in adverse conditions. We drove one on a heavily watered down handling course at Ford's sparkling new proving grounds and were impressed with its ability to hold a line and not get out of shape in transient maneuvers. In other words, it's safer and easier to drive in the rain. And we're sure it'll perform much better in the snow than the other models, which use front-wheel drive. If you live in an area that gets adverse weather, the AWD model is a smart choice.
The 221-hp V6 engine provides enough power, although the Fusion will not likely be mistaken for a sports sedan. The Fusion can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 8 seconds, a reasonable performance though not as quick as the V6 versions of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
The six-speed automatic transmission is very smooth. Shift into Drive and it works well. It's one of the few six-speed automatics in this class. However, it does not offer a semi-manual shifter. Shifting from D to L only locks out fifth and sixth gears. (We wonder how many people actually use semi-manual shifters so this may not be an issue for you.) Also, there's no indicator showing the driver what gear it's in at any given moment and around town it's difficult to tell by feel. (Again, you may not care.)
The Fusion V6 manages 29 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. That's quite respectable for a V6 and the four-cylinder model with the five-speed manual betters this figure by a couple of miles per gallon.
We have not had an opportunity to try a Fusion with the four-cylinder engine. Considering the improved performance, smoother six-speed automatic transmission and almost identical fuel consumption, the V6 model is probably the best value for most buyers.
The 2007 Ford Fusion delivers sporty handling with value and comfort. Side-impact airbags are now standard equipment. The all-wheel-drive model provides excellent handling stability on slippery surfaces.
NewCarTestDrive correspondent John Rettie filed this report from Hollywood, California; with Cheryl Jensen reporting from Cleveland, Ohio; and Mitch McCullough in Dearborn, Michigan.
|Model Line Overview
|Model lineup:
|Ford Fusion S ($17,295); SE ($18,155); SEL ($19,250); SE V6 ($20,880); SEL V6 ($21,975); SE V6 AWD ($22,730); SEL V6 AWD ($23,825)
|160-hp 2.3-liter inline-4; 221-hp 3.0-liter V6
|5-speed manual; 5-speed automatic; 6-speed automatic
|Safety equipment (standard):
|frontal airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, side-impact airbags, curtain side airbags
|Safety equipment (optional):
|ABS, traction control
|Basic warranty:
|3 years/36,000 miles
|Assembled in:
|Hermosillo, Mexico
|Specifications As Tested
|Model tested (MSPR):
|Ford Fusion SEL V6 ($21,975)
|Standard equipment:
|automatic air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power door mirrors, six-way power driver seat, upgraded wood trim, six-disc in-dash AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo system, 17-inch alloy wheels, side air curtain, side-impact airbags, automatic headlamps, heated mirrors and electrochromatic rearview mirror
|Options as tested (MSPR):
|ABS ($595); traction control ($95)
|Destination charge:
|Gas guzzler tax:
|Price as tested (MSPR):
|front-wheel drive
|3.0-liter dohc 24-valve V6
|Horsepower (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|221 @ 6250
|Torque (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|205 @ 4800
|6-speed automatic
|EPA fuel economy, city/hwy:
|21/29 mpg
|107.4 in.
|190.2/72.2/57.2 in.
|Track, f/r:
|61.6/61.3 in.
|Turning circle:
|40.0 ft.
|Seating Capacity:
|Head/hip/leg room, f:
|38.7/54.0/42.3 in.
|Head/hip/leg room, m:
|Head/hip/leg room, r:
|37.8/56.5/37.0 in.
|Cargo volume:
|15.8 cu. ft.
|Towing capacity:
|Suspension, f:
|independent, short and long arm with coil springs, stabilizer bar
|Suspension, r:
|independent, multi-link with struts, stabilizer bar
|Ground clearance:
|Curb weigth:
|3280 lbs.
|Brakes, f/r:
|disc/disc with ABS
|Fuel capacity:
|17.5 gal.
|Unless otherwise indicated, specifications refer to test vehicle. All prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSPR) effective as of October 7, 2006.Prices do not include manufacturer's destination and delivery charges. N/A: Information not available or not applicable. Manufacturer Info Sources: 800-392-3673 - www.fordvehicles.com
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Next Wednesday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will kick off the Consumer Electronics Show with a keynote that will likely involve chairs being thrown and perspiration-soaked Brooks Brothers shirts. But what about product announcements? Um...
It doesn't sound like Microsoft is bringing much in the way of big guns, at least if Techcrunch's report on details from the keynote are accurate. While we'll still be liveblogging the bejeezus out of the talk, it sounds dry as dust.
On the gaming side, Ballmer will talk up the two Halo universe titles being released in 2009, Ensemble Studios Halo Wars and Bungie's Halo 3 expansion Halo 3: ODST. And that's it. E3 this is not, obviously, as Microsoft has things besides the Xbox 360 on its 2009 slate.
We'd suggest keeping your eyes on our CES 2009 coverage regardless, especially if Ballmer decides to drop new Halo 3: ODST details. There's always a good chance Microsoft has something special up its corporate sleeve, so we'll keep our finger crossed that an extra day spent in Las Vegas was not done so in vain.
Ballmer's CES Keynote Promises To Be A Snoozer (Non-Announcements Revealed!) [Techrunch via Gizmodo]


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decorate for
decorate (someone) for (something)
To honor with an award for a special accomplishment or achievement, often one linked to heroism. The soldier who rescued his entire platoon was decorated for his valor in a ceremony earlier today.
See also: decorate
decorate someone for something
to award someone a medal or ribbon for doing something important or brave. The town decorated her for her heroic act. She was decorated for her heroism.
See also: decorate


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In some areas of Central Italy, there is still a custom of going from house to house adorned with garlands on the first night of May, playing and singing merry tunes to welcome the warm season.
I'm bringing this up – kind of randomly – because this morning I woke up with a verse stuck in my head: it's from an Italian children's poem about the months of the year that I learned in kindergarten, and the part about May goes "Maggio di canti risuona" (May resonates with songs).
While I'm not the type to go around the neighborhood with a lute serenading strangers (my fellow Manhattanites would call the police), I am all for celebrating this beautiful month, which I associate with a variety of pleasant concepts.
At last, the sun is out, the bees are buzzing, the birds are chirping, and the flowers in Central Park are blooming…. but not only that: at the risk of sounding very self-involved, I'm excited because my birthday and Mother's day also come this month. I'm not sure about resonating with songs – but it sure will smell like cakes!
Now, talking about birthdays, I am turning 44 and becoming a little nostalgic. I became twenty in the Eighties, and while here in the US the cake that best represents that era of excess is probably cheesecake -in some 7-layer variation -, in Italy we had Meringata, a sinfully rich dessert made of layers of meringue combined with tons of whipped cream – the Pavlova's Italian cousin.
Meringata was the dessert of choice to share with your date in any Northern Italian piano bar or panini bar. The main downside of those types of cakes (besides the fact that they can induce a diabetic coma) is that they need to be assembled a short time prior to consumption, or the meringue will dissolve in the cream. That's why I picked this alternative, which tastes less sugary and can be made the day before and transported easily.
Cakes made of layers of pan di Spagna (genoise) or pastafrolla (pastry dough) alternating with whipped cream and strawberries or other berries are also served in many areas of Italy for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which coincidentally falls in May.
In case you really need one more excuse to indulge.
- Ingredients:
- (Cake)
- 3/4 cup cake flour (or mix AP flour and potato starch)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup super-fine or granulated sugar
- 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted?
- (Syrup and finish)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 or 4 tsp. confectioners' sugar
- 1 lb raspberries (or you can use strawberries),
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- zest of 1 organic lemon
- a dozen meringues, possibly pink
You can buy the pink meringues or make them with this recipe: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/rachel-allen/pink-meringues-with-raspberry-cream.html
Preheat an oven to 360°F. Line the bottom of a 9- inch springform pan with parchment.
Whisk the eggs and sugar just until combined in the bowl of your stand mixer. Place the bowl over (not touching) a pot of simmering water, and whisk gently for about 3 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and whisk at high speed until pale, frothy and fluffy (7-8 minutes).
Sift the flour over the mixture in 2 separate additions (incorporate the first half with a spatula, before adding the second half). Add the melted butter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden (do the toothpick test). Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before inverting it. Cut the cake into 2 equal layers before removing the parchment. Put the first layer (cut side up) on a platter.
To make the syrup, boil the water with the granulated sugar and the lemon zest for about 3-5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar until it forms soft peaks. Place half of the raspberries or cut strawberries in a bowl, and combine them with about one-fourth of the raspberries. Brush the first cake layerwith syrup and spread with the cream/berry mix.. Top with the remaining cake layer, cut side down, and peel off the parchment. Brush the top with more syrup, spread the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream.
Arrange the remaining berries and meringues on top and around the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


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Keep it Cool – In the world of fashion, "no pain, no gain" is often the rule… but summer calls for loose attire that will keep you cool. Sweating isn't fashionable. So choose something that will allow you to catch whatever breeze there is.
Avoid ALL White – You can certainly wear white during the summer and if you want to wear all white, that's fine too, but not for a wedding. It's a little taboo to wear all white to any wedding, summer or not, since it's the bride's day to wear white. This tradition is less enforced in today's modern world, but I think it's still something to consider.
Don't Skip the Details – Romantic detailing is all the rage lately… ruffles, lace, sheer fabrics, embroidery. These elements can easily be incorporated into your summer wardrobe and will add an extra "dressy" touch to your outfit.
Mix Up the Neutrals – While I'm typically a fan of all-black outfits, it doesn't seem appropriate for an outdoor summer event. So try to break it up a little by mixing in another color or a bold accessory. All black, navy or even beige can be a tad boring for the summer months. This is the season to embrace color and show some personality!
Think Outside the Dress – Dressing up doesn't limit you to wearing a dress. More and more, we're seeing rompers and jumpsuits substituted for sundresses and even formal wear. A breezy pair of pants or a long flowing skirt are both great alternatives that are on trend this year.
Summer Shoes – Somewhere between your go-to flip flops and your spiky heels, every girl needs a good neutral wedge in her closet. And if you're like me, you might need a few neutral options. As a wedding planner, I have to always think of creative shoe options that will be comfortable without being too casual. If you like flats, that's always an option, but I've grown fond of my wedges that allow me to be a little taller and a little dressier without having to worry about my heel getting stuck in the grass!
For the Men – Men don't have quite as many options as women, but there are still ways for fellows to mix it up. To events where it's appropriate to wear a nice pair of shorts, try pairing them with a button-down shirt with rolled up sleeves and a comfy pair of boat shoes. It's no longer inappropriate to wear a hat to a lot of events, but it shouldn't be a ball cap. Sport a fedora at your next backyard affair and I guarantee you'll get some compliments! For an outdoor wedding where a coat and tie is required, a bow tie or a sports coat would also be appropriate. And every man should invest in a linen or searsucker suit. If you have to wear that many clothes in the heat, you'll want them to breathe!
It is possible to look good in the heat, but it requires a little forethought. Hopefully these are suggestions that will help you dress comfortably and fashionably to your next summer soiree!


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France, Spain highlight symphony's program
The flags of France and Spain no longer fly over what is now Texas as they did centuries ago, but the French and Spanish returned to the heart of the state Friday night with their music.
The San Antonio Symphony's program Friday comprised pieces by Spain's Manuel de Falla and France's Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy.
The evening unfolded with images and impressions instead of long-developing themes. The orchestral colors constantly changed hues, and textures varied, all managed adeptly by the baton of Music Director Sebastian Lang-Lessing.
Spain dominated the concert's first half. Ravel's Rapsodie espagnole featured the orchestra's gossamer strings.
Falla's "Nights in the Gardens of Spain" turned transcendental in the final section that portrayed the Spanish city of Córdoba. Guest pianist Martina Filjak, originally from Croatia and lately of Germany, possessed many moods, dreamy in the first section and showing a flair for the dramatic later. She played keyboard percussion at one point to good flamenco effect. It was all well done.
The French half of the concert reached marvelous loveliness during Debussy's Nocturnes. The brisk middle-section march was followed by the wordless choral passages performed by about 50 female members of the Mastersingers.
The chorus sounded like an autumnal wind blowing fallen leaves hither and yon.
The evening's rousing climax came from Ravel's circular, repetitive and oh-so-famous Bolero. At 17 minutes, Bolero is music's longest crescendo, and Lang-Lessing conjured up too many kaleidoscopic colors to count.
Practically the entire symphony's roster of individual talents was featured at one point or another throughout the concert, especially during Bolero. The solos were wonderfully expressive. When everyone played together, though, orchestral ensemble occasionally was a little loose.
The concert was dedicated to the memory of former principal flute Tal Perkes, who left last season after 18 years with the San Antonio Symphony and who died Oct. 20 at age 51. A moving tribute was presented to the audience of about 1,700 at the Majestic Theatre by principal oboe Mark Ackerman.


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Web Only / Features » February 26, 2018
Chicago's Far South Side Is Finally Getting a Train—And It's Thanks to Decades of Organizing
Residents hope the transit extension will shorten commutes and bring much-needed jobs.
There's a "balancing act," LaFargue admits, between improving a community and gentrifying it. He cites rent control as a potential solution.
On Chicago's North Side, Michigan Avenue, is home to the Magnificent Mile, a super-dense corridor of gleaming skyscrapers and luxury shopping. But just a few miles south, in the predominantly Black neighborhood of Roseland, the same street serves as a reminder of the great disparities plaguing the city—swathes of vacant land, bricked and boarded windows, seemingly more parking lots than buildings.
Not helping this divide is the fact that Roseland and adjacent neighborhoods Pullman, West Pullman and Riverdale have been cut off from the city's rail system (the "L"), and the attendant jobs and investment that tend to accompany transit. But at a January 26 press event, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) officials unveiled their plan to finally extend the L's Red Line by more than five miles, to the southern limits of the city. On February 13, the CTA presented the plan to Roseland at an open house in a school gymnasium, where city officials fielded questions and concerns from residents, many of whom seemed excited—though skeptical in light of the city's track record of unfulfilled promises.
The four new stations, placed about a mile apart, will drastically reduce commute times for Far South Side residents, who are now forced to take buses as many as 35 blocks before even getting on the train. They may also, residents hope, attract businesses and end food deserts.
This is a victory that Roseland and adjacent communities have spent generations fighting for.
Michael LaFargue is the president of the Red Line Extension Coalition (RLEC), the grassroots collection of organizers driving this massive infrastructure project. There is hope in his voice as he envisions Roseland's future, imagining a "Magnificent Mile South," an urban mecca of shopping, parks, theatres and Black-owned business. While gentrification is a fear, LaFargue anticipates that this new connection to the rest of the city will attract businesses and transit-oriented development that can restore Roseland to its former relative glory and beyond.
The RLEC continues the work done by the Developing Communities Project, a nonprofit first led by Barack Obama in the 1980s. But the mission for equal transit began long before that.
Seventeen years after the L first opened, the 1909 Plan of Chicago, co-authored by master architect Daniel Burnham, envisioned beautiful parks and mass public transportation reaching all across the city. As the network evolved throughout the century, this vision came true for the North and West Sides. But the South Side, as LaFargue says, "has been left out."
In the 1960s, Mayor Richard J. Daley promised to extend the trains beyond 95th Street, but this aim sat on the back burner as the city prioritized other infrastructure ventures. Jacky Grimshaw at the Center for Neighborhood Technology explains that the "supposedly objective" metrics used in deciding what to focus on, such as cost per mile and population density, "were skewed against communities on the Far South Side."
The Far South Side is more than 90 percent African-American and in the 1970s formed a core of Chicago's Black middle class. But as manufacturing declined and the city prioritized downtown development, the region saw massive job loss and now has among the city's lowest median household incomes. Ledall Edwards, owner of Edwards Fashions, laments the "dramatic transition" that Roseland has undergone since his family opened the business in 1974. He says that over the years the city has been unresponsive to local efforts toward re-development, and he worries that the community is "not at the table" for future planning.
LaFargue acknowledges that, when it comes to the Red Line, the CTA has been mostly receptive to the community's concerns about the path of the extension and the residents that could be displaced.
But he shares many of Edwards' broader concerns: "Where the private sector fails," he says, "the government's supposed to come in and do better. … And it doesn't seem like they're doing that."
The region has been among the hardest hit by recent austerity measures by both city and state government. In 2013, Emanuel's administration closed dozens of schools on the South and West Sides, including four in Roseland and West Pullman. Roseland Community Hospital, where nearly two-thirds of patients are on Medicaid, is still reeling from devastating cuts caused by a two-year deadlock of the Illinois state budget. Roseland and its neighbors, with the highest percentage of public pension holders in the city, continue to suffer disproportionately from the $130 billion pension crisis, which threatens to slash monthly retirement payouts by as much as 20 percent.
In light of all this, says LaFargue, the extension is a welcome "step forward."
But advocates recognize that the L extension is a double-edged sword. Alongside the benefits, better transit can lead to increased land values and higher rents that tend to push residents out. There's a "balancing act," LaFargue admits, between improving a community and gentrifying it. He cites rent control as a potential solution. Although it's been outlawed in the state for two decades, rent control has recently been proposed by local lawmakers such as state Rep. Will Guzzardi (D) and Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa.
LaFargue sees worker-owned cooperative businesses as another way to stave off gentrification, and stresses the importance of union jobs. He wants to make sure the wealth generated by Roseland's new investments stays in Roseland.
The extension is set to open around 2026. Until then, there are some hurdles to clear as the project enters the funding phase. Lawmakers must negotiate concessions from state and local coffers; LaFargue sees a progressive income tax and a financial transaction tax as answers to the project's $2.1 billion price tag.
But the real need is federal funding, which the city will apply for as it submits an environmental impact study to the Federal Transit Administration. Since the creation of the national highway system, cities have relied on a near-50 percent match in federal funds for this type of infrastructure project. But the current administration is likely to dole out closer to 20 percent, according to Kyle Whitehead at the Active Transportation Alliance, leaving underserved communities like Roseland in limbo.
In the meantime, LaFargue and the coalition will open dialogues for residents to have as much input as possible in deciding which developments will arrive at each station. The people of Roseland, LaFargue says, are "not just sitting there waiting. … We're working."
What do you want to see from our coverage of the 2020 presidential candidates?
As our editorial team finalizes plans for our coverage of the 2020 Democratic primary, we want to hear from you:
What do you want to see from our campaign coverage, and which candidates are you most interested in?
It only takes a minute to answer this short, three-question survey, but your input will help shape our coverage in the months to come. That's why we want to make sure you have a chance to share your thoughts.
Patrick Corley
Patrick Corley is a fall 2017 In These Times editorial intern.
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Best definition
To be said in a mock Northern English accent, try Yorkshire. Usually by someone of antipodean descent in order to
convey appreciation to a task that they have just given to you, this is usual a task that would come second in preference to inserting a sharp metal object into both ocular cavities.
Can you just make these 300 changes please? luvly.