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Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (164-241 AH) was one of those rightly guided imams who lived in the earlier Hijri centuries. Those imams were role models for people. They displayed piety, superior moral values, and sincere adherence to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Hence, people developed confidence in those imams' sound approach and sincere application of religion.
Those rightly guided imams would give impressive courses of lectures in the mosques where seekers of knowledge would attend in great numbers to listen to an interpretation of some verse, ask for explanation of a hadith, or seek a fatwa. People would hold those imams in the highest esteem and model themselves after their guidance so that they may be rescued in the Hereafter.
Birth and Origin
Born in Rabi` Awwal AH 164 (November 780 CE), Imam Ahmad belongs a noble house of Bani Shayban in Baghdad. His father passed away before his birth. His mother took care of him and brought him up in the most proper manner.
She was keen that he learns the different disciplines of knowledge prevalent at that time. So, he memorized the Noble Qur'an and applied himself enthusiastically to the knowledge of Hadith. He would get up at dawn to be the first student to attend the knowledge circle of his sheikh.
During his teens, he joined the circle of Abu Yusuf, a disciple of Imam Abu Hanifah and the first person to hold the post of Chief Judge. His circle was unspeakably splendid. It attracted seekers of knowledge, scholars, as well as judges of different classes and ranks. Imam Ahmad attended this circle for four years. He recorded in writing all what he learned there, which formed a great amount of papers.
He also used to attend the circle of Imam Hasheem ibn Basheer As-Solamy, the grand scholar of Hadith in Baghdad. Moreover, whenever he heard that a knowledgeable scholar came to Baghdad, he would seek to acquire knowledge from him. In this regard, he learned from the great scholars Na`eem ibn Hammad, Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi, and `Umayr ibn Abdullah ibn Khaled.
A Knowledge-Seeker
Seekers of knowledge at the time were known for their journeys in the pursuit of religious knowledge, especially Hadith. Regardless of the high cost and distance of this kind of journeys, seekers of knowledge would travel throughout the Muslim World where the eminent jurists and scholars of Hadith live to acquire knowledge.
Imam Ahmad commenced his blessed journey in the pursuit of Hadith in AH 186 (802 CE) at the age of 22. He went to Basra, Koufa, Ar-Riqqa, Yemen, and Al-Hijaz (i.e., Makkah and Madinah) where he met a number of prominent and great scholars and jurists of the Ummah, such as Yahya ibn Sa`id Al-Qattan, Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi, Waki` ibn Al-Jarraah, Abu Mu`awiyah Ad-Darir, Sufyan ibn `Uyainah, and Ash-Shafe`i.
He dedicated himself to studying at the hands of Ash-Shafe`i for a period of time, during which he learned fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and its principles. He was such a devout seeker of knowledge that Imam Ash-Shafe`i said about him that there was no one in Baghdad that was more knowledgeable in religion and skillful in memorizing hadiths than Imam Ahmad.
His great passion for seeking Hadith made him bear every difficulty willingly. Despite his great knowledge and high status among eminent scholars, he proceeded to seek knowledge from others. Though his sheikhs and colleagues attested to the ample knowledge he possessed, he did not feel embarrassed at all to sit among students to receive knowledge from others.
Seeing Imam Ahmad holding the inkwell by means of which he would write what he learned, a contemporary of him commented, "O father of Abdullah, [You sit among students] despite the high level of knowledge you have reached. You are the imam of Muslims [in knowledge]!" The reply of Imam Ahmad came thus: "With the inkwell [I stay] till I go to the grave."
A Teacher
It is worth noting that Imam Ahmad took the seat of teaching and issuing fatwa in Baghdad in AH 204 (819 CE), which was the same year Imam Ash-Shafe`i died. Imam Ahmad was thus a great successor to an eminent predecessor.
He used to have two knowledge-imparting circles: a special one at his home for his keen students and a general one in the mosque following the `Asr Prayer for ordinary people and knowledge-seekers in general.
Imam Ahmad would deal heartily with his students and would describe their inkwells with which they recorded what he imparted to them of hadiths as the lambs of Islam. Furthermore, he was so honest and meticulous in reporting hadiths that he never reported a hadith unless it was from a written source, though he was highly noted for his sharp memory.
It is also worth mentioning that Imam Ahmad memorized about million narrations from the Companions and Tab`in (first generation after Prophet Muhammad).
A number of keen students who studied at Imam Ahmad's circles for a good and long time spread his knowledge and jurisprudence everywhere. Most eminent among them was Abu Bakr Al-Maruzy, who was close to the imam and most liked by him on account of his knowledge, superior morality, truthfulness, and integrity. Imam Ahmad said about him, "Whatever he [Al-Maruzy] reports me as saying is truly said by me." Also, among the students of Imam Ahmad were Abu Bakr Al-Athram, Ishaq ibn Mansur At-Tamimi, Ibrahim ibn Ishaq Al-Harbi, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Baqi ibn Makhlad.
His School of Thought
Imam Ahmad did not record his juristic fatwas, nor did he compile a book on jurisprudence or assign such a job to any of his students. He disliked that any of his fatwas be written. This remained the case until Abu Bakr Al-Khallal, a student of Al-Maruzy undertook the responsibility of compiling the Hanbali fiqh.
Al-Khallal traveled to various places in search of the juristic opinions and fatwas issued by Imam Ahmad. He gathered such a huge number of fatwas that he compiled a book of about 20 volumes entitled Al-Jami` Al-Kabir.
He later held a circle in Al-Mahdi mosque in Baghdad to teach this book to his students. Out of this knowledge-imparting circle, the written jurisprudence of the Hanbali school of thought spread after it was no more than scattered narrations.
Afterwards, Abu Al-Qasim Al-Khiraqi summarized the book compiled by Al-Khallal in a book entitled Mukhtasar Al-Khiraqi (Al-Khiraqi's Compendium). This book found favor with people and captured the attention of the Hanbali jurists, who wrote more than 300 books wherein explaining Al-Khiraqi's book and commenting on it. The best and most well-known book among those 300 was Al-Mughni written by Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdesi.
Later, Imam Abdus-Salam ibn Abdullah, the grandfather of Imam Ibn Taymiyah, reviewed Imam Ahmad's fatwas and wrote a book entitled Al-Muharir (The Freer) on jurisprudence. After that, many other books were written on Imam Ahmad's fatwas, and these books circulated among people.
It is worth noting that the Hanbali school was the most flexible school of thought with regard to freedom of transaction and the conditions thereby the contracting parties shall be required to abide. Imam Ahmad held the opinion that the basic rule is that transactions among people are, in principle, permissible unless proved otherwise by a legal proof.
His Trial
Imam Ahmad faced a serious trial that he bore steadfastly. He refused to make any concessions in the process.
The trial began when Caliph Al-Ma'moun declared in AH 218 (833 CE) his call to consider the Qur'an a creature like all creatures. Many jurists were forced under torture to agree. But Ahmad and Muhammad ibn Noah refused to succumb. As a consequence, they were fettered and sent to Baghdad to stand before Caliph Al-Ma'moun. While they were on their way to him, the caliph passed away, so they were returned to Baghdad fettered.
On the way back to Baghdad, Muhammad ibn Noah died. But before his death, he advised his companion, Imam Ahmad, saying, "You are a man that people take as a role model. They are now waiting to see how you will act [in this trial]. So, be mindful of Almighty Allah and remain steadfast for His sake."
Imam Ahmad acted upon his companion's advice and stood up for his beliefs. He was imprisoned for more than two years. Then he was carried to Caliph Al-Mu`tasim, who followed in the footsteps of his late brother, Al-Ma'moun.
The carrot-and-stick approach was used with Imam Ahmad in the presence of the caliph and his gathering in an attempt to gain a single word from him in support of their allegation about the Qur'an being a creature. They would ask him, "What do you say about the Qur'an? Is it a creature?" And his only reply was "It is Allah's word."
With the persistent attempts by the caliph to win him over, the imam would get more determined. When despair seized them, they hang him from the heels. They would whip him without the least prick of conscience that they were whipping an innocent and guiltless individual, let alone that he was a pious scholar whom people take as a role model. They showed no mercy in lashing his infirm body with turns of their harsh whips. He fainted as a result of the flogging and was released and returned home.
During the era of Caliph Al-Wathiq (AH 227–232 [841–847 CE]), Imam Ahmad was forbidden to address people in a gathering. He was allowed to go out only for prayer.
Circumstances changed, however, when Al-Mutawakkil assumed the Caliphate. He banned the opinion saying that the Qur'an is a creature and restored to Imam Ahmad his esteem and status. Upon that, Imam Ahmad resumed his teaching circles in the mosque.
His Writings
Al-Musnad(The Authenticated) is the most prominent book among his writings. It is the biggest record of the Prophet's Sunnah as it includes about 40 thousand hadiths out of 750 thousand hadiths that Imam Ahmad had knowledge about. Imam Ahmad began writing this book after the age of 36.
Az-Zuhd (Arabic for Asceticism) tackles the hadiths and narrations on the subject of asceticism.
As-Sunnah (Arabic for Sunnah) handles the hadiths on matters of belief.
Al-Wara` wa Al-Iman (Arabic for Piety and Faith) focuses on the hadiths and narrations tackling piety and awareness of Almighty Allah.
Al-Masa'il(Arabic for Problems) is in fact a book compiled by some students of Imam Ahmad and two of his sons. It is in the form of questions and answers about juristic issues, matters of belief, chains of narrators, and hadiths and their explanations.
Fada'il As-Sahabah (Arabic for Virtues of the Companions) contains almost 2000 narrations about the virtues of the Prophet's Companions.
All these books are published and widely read.
His Death
After a life full of great achievements, Imam Ahmad passed away in Rabi` Thani 12, AH 241 (August 30, 855 CE) at the age of 77. He was buried in Baghdad.
By Ahmad Tammam, Translated By Ahmad Al-Gharabawi


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STATUS: Entries are now closed. Click here to see the current standings. (If you missed the deadline, don't worry, you can playin our French Open Challenge. Just leave a comment below and we will send you an invite when it is time.)
BritishTennis.net runs a "Battle Of The Boards" in which about 15 different tennis websites compete against one another. We (Tennisopolis) blow the other sites away with the most participants and several players toward the top of the leader board. "Over 800 people from 64 countries have taken part in these contests so far!" So, come support Tennisopolis and have fun following the matches for the next two weeks. Make your picks on this page at BT. Be sure to select the Tennisopolis team name from the drop down menu.
If you need any help, just ask MikeIndo, Jazz, ThePoet, Elaine or me. I'll keep this thread updated, so check this message often to stay up to speed. Good luck, Mark
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03 March, 2006
"Sea" life in a whole new way. This new and enthralling undersea adventure, offers audiences astonishing up-close encounters with some of the most strange and exotic creatures on the planet, from the bizarre rainbow nudibranch to the giant Pacific octopus. Through IMAX and IMAX 3D technology, moviegoers will swim with some of the planet's most unique, dangerous and colorful creatures and come to understand this inspiring underworld. Every animal here is dependent on another for survival, so the cooperation that exists among these ocean dwellers is the key to a flourishing neighborhood.


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The Carolee Shields White Flower Garden and Gazebo is a theme garden based on medieval moon-viewing gardens of India and Japan. With its curving paths framing a vine-covered gazebo, the garden is a popular site for weddings and other events. Many of the plants here are fragrant, and their pale flowers are particularly luminous by moonlight. The garden is named for Carolee Shields, an avid gardener and the wife of Judge Peter J. Shields, one of the founders of the UC Davis campus. The Carolee Shields White Flower Garden is located in the arboretum and surrounds the gazebo.
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Fits: 2012 – 2013 Softail Models
Big Shots Staggered provide the best of both worlds, long and low 2-into-2 style pipes with 2- into-1 performance thanks to the Vance & Hines Power Chamber hidden crossover. Complete with one-piece full length heat shields and slash-cut CNC machined end-caps, Big Shots Staggered come standard with louvered-core baffles, and can also be fitted with optional quiet baffles.
For 2012, Vance & Hines has designed a new flat plane mounting panel for the 12mm oxygen sensors now employed across the Softail model line, which positions the sensor deeper into the exhaust stream, providing enhanced data feedback to the ECM.
– Power Chamber Crossover Technology
– Full Coverage Heat Shields
– Available in Chrome or Matte Black Finish
– Optional Quiet Baffle Available
– Equipped With 12mm o2 Sensor Ports


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NVIDIA Proprietary Driver
This page describes the closed-source, proprietary driver created by nVidia themselves. See the nv page for a description of the open-source driver created by Mark Vojkovich and maintained now by Aaron Plattner.
The new proprietary driver from Nvidia is easier to install than prior versions as Nvidia has shifted to a single file for installation. They have attempted to make the setup as simple as possible with the installation script attempting to determine which kernel version you need. This has helped a lot but there are still some common problems. The best place to look for information about the Nvidia driver is Nvidia's website.
The following is a common problem: (excerpted from Nvidia's docs)
Q: My X server fails to start, and my Xorg log file contains the error: "(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module!"
A: Nothing will work if the NVIDIA kernel module doesn't function properly. If you see anything in the X log file like "(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module!" then there is most likely a problem with the NVIDIA kernel module. First, you should verify that if you installed from rpm that the rpm was built specifically for the kernel you are using. You should also check that the module is loaded ('/sbin/lsmod'); if it is not loaded try loading it explicitly with 'insmod' or 'modprobe' (be sure to exit the X server before installing a new kernel module). If you receive errors about unresolved symbols, then the kernel module has most likely been built using header files for a different kernel revision than what you are running. You can explicitly control what kernel header files are used when building the NVIDIA kernel module with the --kernel-include-dir option (see sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4349.run --advanced-options
for details).
Please note that the convention for the location of kernel header files changed approximately at the time of the 2.4.0 kernel release, as did the location of kernel modules. If the kernel module fails to load properly, modprobe/insmod may be trying to load an older kernel module (assuming you've upgraded). cd'ing into the directory with the new kernel module and doing 'insmod ./nvidia.o' may help.
Another cause may be that the /dev/nvidia* device files may be missing. To recreate this files simply run this script (as root). It assumes your users who have GUI access are in group "video"):
for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7; do node="/dev/nvidia$i" rm -f $node mknod $node c 195 $i || echo "mknod \"$node\"" chmod 0660 $node || echo "chmod \"$node\"" chown :video $node || echo "chown \"$node\"" done node="/dev/nvidiactl" rm -f $node mknod $node c 195 255 || echo "mknod \"$node\"" chmod 0666 $node || echo "chmod \"$node\"" chown :video $node || echo "chown \"$node\""
Finally, the NVIDIA kernel module may print error messages indicating a problem -- to view these messages please check /var/log/messages, or wherever syslog is directed to place kernel messages. These messages are prepended with "NVRM".


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Airport Commission
The Airport Commission serves the Gardner Municipal Airport and meets to help the operation function.
Appointments Committee
The Appointments Committee is charged with evaluating and reporting on appointments submitted by the Executive Dept.
Bandstand Committee
The mission of the committee is to give back to the community with the sound of music from all different eras of the last century.
Board of Assessors
The Board of Assessors is required to assess all real and personal property within the confines of the City, at full, fair cash value.
Board of Health
The Board of Health is the approving authority for wells and septic systems in Gardner.
Board of Registrars of Voters
The Board of Registrars of Voters performs several functions to assist the voters of Gardner, including registering voters, making local listings of residents, and administering election recounts.
CDBG Steering Committee
This committee oversees the Community Development Block Grant program, which provides funding and technical support for projects that achieve the City's development objectives.
Cemetery Commission
The Cemetery Commission meets quarterly each month.
Charter Review Committee
Browse meeting agendas or contact the chairman for more information about this committee.
City Council
The Legislative powers of the city are vested in the City Council. Find out more about their meetings and the members.
Conservation Commission
The Conservation Commission is responsible for the administration of the Wetlands Protection Act as well as the City of Gardner's Wetlands Protection Ordinance.
Council on Aging
The Gardner Council on Aging's mission consists of three core responsibilities to assist the elderly of the city.
Cultural Council
The Gardner Cultural Council, one of many local cultural councils throughout Massachusetts, supports public programs that promote access, education, diversity, and excellence in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences in Gardner.
Disability Commission
The mission of the City of Gardner Disability Commission (the "Commission") is to promote social awareness as to the contributions and the potential of individuals with disabilities.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is charged with evaluating and reporting to the Council on matters referred to it by the full Council or on their own initiative concerning municipal functions defined generally as administrative and financial.
Golf Commission
The Gardner Golf Commission oversees Gardner Municipal Golf Course.
Gardner Redevelopment Authority
The Gardner Redevelopment Authority (GRA) is an independent economic development agency for the City of Gardner.
Historical Commission
The Historical Commission was established for the preservation, protection and development of the historical or archaeological assets of the City of Gardner.
License Commission
The License Commission is responsible for issuing licenses in the municipality.
The Gardner Industrial Development Financing Authority is the acting authority in the name and behalf of the City of Gardner acting as the City's bonding authority as authorized by Section 8 (a) of Chapter 23G of the Massachusetts General Laws, as amended.


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Sierra Seats
Our Sierra seat blends elegant contouring, ergonomic design, shock isolation, and a broad range of comfort-enhancing options into the ideal seating solution for a full spectrum of on- or off-highway applications.
Models include FX (fixed back), RX (reclining back), LX (reclining back with adjustable lumbar support).
All Sierra seats feature integrated serpentine spring construction and high-density foam to deliver outstanding rider comfort.
- Standard or high back
- Fixed or reclining back
- Built-in or adjustable lumbar
- Fixed or adjustable pedestal
- 5"/127 mm fore-aft adjustment
- Standard or low-profile seat foam
- Mechanical or air suspension
- Padded armrests
- Available with optional embossed custom corporate logo.
- See downloads for seat trim options


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To see the winners of last week's Blackboard Eats contest, see the bottom of this post!
We're spoilt for choice of bread in San Francisco, where there's enough artisan bread bakeries around that not having freshly baked bread with dinner almost seems enough reason to turn in your foodie membership card. I must confess that I'm not the hugest bread person, probably because there's stiff competition for Most Ardent Bread Lover in this town, and my carbohydrate of choice tends to be rice, since it was a fixture of the dinner table while I was growing up.
I will make an exception for brioche, though. I like that it inhabits some undefined but utterly delicious middle ground between bread and cake. I like it even though it's so rich because you are literally shoving as much butter as possible into the dough before it loses all structural integrity, people still tend to enjoy it by putting even more rich items on, like…more butter, or eggs, or pâté. I also like brioche because it's so very easy to make. There may be many breads that intimidate me, but brioche? You make it once and you realize, that's all there is to it? And that's the dangerous part because you'll want to make it again and again.
There's many very fine brioche recipes out there, both simple and gussied up. My longstanding favorite happens to be based off of this one by Alice Medrich. But when I got a copy of pastry chef Joanne Chang's Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe and saw her Sugar and Spice Brioche Buns, I figured there were worse lots in life than a surfeit of brioche recipes.
What I like about the Flour cookbook is the clean and very modern typography, which makes the book a joy to browse, and Chang's talent for writing charming, engaging headnotes that make every recipe sound like a must-try. How many different ways can you find to say, "These cookies are delicious!"? But she manages to avoid that trap and weaves anecdotes from her childhood and her stints at Payard and other restaurants with tales of the daily routine at her Boston bakery to provide an entertaining glimpse into her life, enticing the reader to try these milestone recipes from her career. The majority of the recipes are accessible standards of the all-American bakery, with a refined presentation from Chang's background in French pastry.
Her basic brioche recipe is straightforward; it does not rely on a separate sponge (or poolish) but rather an overnight rest in the refrigerator to allow the fermentation process to occur. Because brioche dough is so rich with eggs and butter, it slows down the development of the yeast. Having a separate sponge free of fats ensures that enough fermentation happens, but I generally have no problem with brioche doughs developing overnight, with a final rise after shaping. If it's cold in the kitchen (like mine this last rainy, blustery weekend), I'll turn on the oven and place the shaped dough near it to help it rise faster. Other people have placed the dough directly in the oven, or in the warming drawer, but be careful to keep the temperature below 140 degrees F, or else you'll kill the yeast and have prematurely dead bread.
The classic French form for brioche is either a loaf or brioche à tête, but the Flour recipe has you cutting the dough into little squares and piling them into muffin cups. I finally figured out that the end result was supposed to resemble the traditional cloverleaf dinner rolls, making this recipe a nice amalgam of French and American. I wish illumination had come before I baked the brioche though, so I could have arranged the squares a little more neatly; the recipe was not entirely clear.
Recall what I said earlier about brioche being best enjoyed with other non-diet-food items: These buns are brushed with melted butter right out of the oven and then rolled in a mixture of sugar and spices. The never-fail combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make these buns taste very similar to the cinnamon-sugar doughnuts from the doughnut shops of my childhood. The knobbly, pull-apart construction of these buns also tricks you into thinking you can eat just part of it, or maybe half and a bit more, until you give up and just cram the whole thing in your mouth and think, well, I'll just eat dinner a little later. Dangerous – but brioche is one yeasted bread that's got a permanent spot in my kitchen.
Finally, thanks for all who participated in the Blackboard Eats contest and gave me a bunch of restaurants to add to my list of places to try. The two winners of a one-year membership to Blackboard Eats, chosen entirely at random, are Annie and Christyna! Congrats and enjoy!
- 2 1/4 cups (315 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour
- 1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (82 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) cold water
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons (2 3/4 sticks/310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into about 12 pieces
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- For the brioche dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and eggs.
- Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all of the ingredients have come together.
- Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.
- On low speed, add the butter one piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. It's important to wait until each piece is fully mixed in before adding other, or you'll have a greasy mess.
- Continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all of the butter to be mixed thoroughly into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.
- Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat for another 15 minutes, or until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually will turn smooth and silky.
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it: it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in one piece.
- Place the dough in a large oiled bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. At this point, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- When you're ready to make the brioche buns: take out half of the dough. Line 10 cups of a 12 cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or generously butter and flour them.
- On a floured work surface, press dough into a 10 inch x 5 inch rectangle.
- Using a bench scraper or knife, cut dough into 10 equal 1 inch x 5 inch strips. Cut each strip into 5 pieces. You should now have 50 squares of dough.
- Place 5 squares in each prepared muffin cup. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has risen and feels puffy and soft.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Let buns cool for 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, combine sugar, spices, and salt in a small bowl.
- Brush tops of buns with the melted butter. Roll the buns in the sugar mixture to coat evenly.
- Buns are best served within 4 hours of baking. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day, then rewarmed in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes.


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This site focuses on Madame Blavatsky and her teaching - Theosophy. It features an introduction to Theosophy, study aids, research tools, original text, supporting evidence, membership, and visitor interaction.
Re-Classification Of PrinciplesFrom H. P. Blavatsky Theosophical Articles, Vol. II |
Articles by HPB |
IN the May Theosophist (1887), I find the first part of a long explanatory article, by Mr. Subba Row, in which the able author has gone to the trouble of dissecting almost every thing I have written for the last ten years, upon the subject under review.
My first thought was, to leave his "answer" without reply. Upon reading it carefully over, however, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps it would not be safe to do so. The article in question is a manifesto. I am not allowed to labour any longer under the impression that it was only an apparent disagreement. Those members and ex-members of our Society who had rejoiced at Mr. Subba Row's remarks were consequently right in their conclusions, and I--wrong. As I do not admit--in our case, at any rate--that "a house divided against itself" must fall, for the Theosophical Society can never fall so long as its foundation is very strong, I regard the disagreement, even if real, as of no great or vital importance. Yet, were I to fail to answer the strictures in question, it would be immediately inferred that I was silenced by the arguments; or, worse, that I had expounded a tenet which had no basis. Before I say anything further upon the main subject, however, I must express my surprise at finding the learned author referring to me continually as his "critic." I have never criticized him, nor his teachings, whether orally, or in print. I had simply expressed regret at finding in the Theosophist words calculated, as I then thought, to create false impressions. The position assumed by the lecturer on the Gita was as unexpected as it was new to me, and my remarks were meant to be as friendly as I could make them. For am I actuated even now by any other feelings. I can only regret, and nothing more, that such new developments of ideas should occur just now, after nearly seven years of tacit, if not actual, agreement. Nor do I find on page 450 of the April Theosophist in my footnote* [Footnote: *. See "Classification of Principles." ] anything that should imply, even remotely, least of all "probably," that I endorse the views that "a slur was thrown on the original teaching." I had said that "some (Theosophists) argued that it looked like a slur." As for myself, I have too much reverence for the "original" TEACHERS to ever admit that anything said or done, could ever be "a slur" upon their teachings. But if I, personally, am made out "the original expounder," there can be no slur whatever. It is, at the worst, a disagreement in personal views. Every one is free in the Theosophical Society to give full expression to his own ideas,--I among the rest; especially when I know that those views are those of trans-Himalayan esotericism, if not of cis-Himalayan esoteric Brahmanism, as I am now told squarely--for the first time. The words written by me in the foot-note, therefore--"Of course those who do not hold to the old school of Aryan and Arhat adepts are in no way bound to adopt the septenary classification"--were never meant for Mr. Subba Row. They applied most innocently, and as I thought liberally, to every and each member of our Association. Why my friend, Mr. T. Subba Row, should have applied them to himself is one of those mysterious combinations--evolved by my own karma. no doubt--which pass my comprehension. To expect a Brahmin, a Vedantin (whether an occultist or otherwise) to accept in their dead-letter the tenets of Buddhist (even if Aryan) adepts, is like expecting a western Kabbalist, an Israelite by birth and views, to adhere to our Lord Buddha instead of to Moses. To charge me on such grounds with dogmatism and a desire to evolve "an orthodox creed" out of tenets I have tried to explain to those who are interested in Buddhistic occultism, is rather hard. All this compels me to explain my past as well as my present position. As the second portion of Mr. Subba Row's reply can hardly contain stronger charges than I find in the first, I ask permission to state that:-- (I) Neither the original "Fragments of Occult Truths" nor yet Esoteric Buddhism, were ever meant to expound Brahminical philosophy, but that of the trans-Himalayan Arhats, as very correctly stated by Mr. Subba Row in his "Brahminism on the Seven-fold Principle in Man"--"it is extremely difficult to show (to the profane H.P.B.!) whether the Tibetans derived their doctrine from the ancient Rishis of India, or the ancient Brahmins learned their occult science from the adepts of Tibet: or again, whether the adepts of both countries professed originally the same doctrine and derived it from a common source. . . . However that may be, the knowledge of the occult powers of nature possessed by the inhabitants of the lost Atlantis, was learnt by the ancient adepts of India, and was appended by them to their esoteric doctrine taught by the residents of the sacred island (Sham-bha-la). The Tibetan adepts, however, have not accepted this addition to their esoteric doctrine." . . . Thus, the readers of the Theosophist were told from the first (in 1882) that they "should expect to find a difference between the two doctrines." One of the said "differences" is found in the exoteric exposition, or form of presentation, of the seven-fold principle in man. (II) Though the fundamental doctrines of Occultism and Esoteric philosophy are one and the same the world over, and that is the secret meaning under the outward shell of every old religion--however much they may conflict in appearance--[since each] is the outcome of, and proceeds from, the universal WlSDOM-RELlGION--the modes of thought and of its expression must necessarily differ. There are Sanskrit words used--"Jiva," for one--by trans-Himalayan adepts, whose meaning differs greatly in verbal applications, from the meaning it has among the Brahmins in India. (III) I have never boasted of any knowledge of Sanskrit, and, when I came to India last, in 1879, knew very superficially the philosophies of the six schools of Brahminism. I never pretended to teach Sanskrit or explain Occultism in that language. I claimed to know the esoteric philosophy of the trans-Himalayan Occultists and no more. What I knew again, was that the philosophy of the ancient Dwijas and Initiates did not, nor could it, differ essentially from the esotericism of the "Wisdom-religion," any more than ancient Zoroastrianism, Hermetic philosophy, or Chaldean Kabbala could do so. I have tried to prove it by rendering the technical terms used by the Tibetan Arhats of things and principles, as adopted in trans-Himalayan teaching (and which when given to Mr. Sinnett and others without their Sanskrit or European equivalents, remained to them unintelligible, as they would to all in India)--in terms used in Brahmanical philosophy. I may have failed to do so correctly, very likely I have, and made mistakes,--I never claimed infallibility--but this is no reason why the seven-fold division should be regarded as "unscientific." That it was puzzling I had already admitted, yet, once properly explained, it is the right one, though, in transcendental metaphysics, the quaternary may do as well. In my writings in the Theosophist I have always consulted learned and (even not very learned) Sanskrit-speaking Brahmins, giving credit to every one of them for knowing the value of Sanskrit terms better than I did. The question then is not, whether I may or may not have made use of wrong Sanskrit terms, but whether the occult tenets expounded through me are the right ones--at any rate those of the "Aryan-Chaldeo-Tibetan doctrine" as we call the "universal Wisdom-religion." (See Five Years of Theosophy, 1st note to Mr. Subba Row's "Brahminism on the Seven-fold Principle in Man," pp. 177-9.) (IV) When saying that the seven-fold classification of principles is absolutely necessary to explain post-mortem phenomena, I repeat only that which I had always said and that which every mystic will understand. "Once we pass from the plane of pure subjective (or metaphysical, hence purely theoretical) reasoning on esoteric matters to that of practical demonstration in occultism, wherein each (lower) principle and attribute has to be analyzed and defined in its application . . . to post-mortem life (that of spooks and pisachas), the sevenfold classification is the right one." These are my words, which every spiritualist will understand. Vedantin metaphysicians, denying as they do objective reality or importance even to our physical body, are not likely to lose their time in dividing the lower principles in man, the compound aspects and nature of the phantom of that body. Practical occultism does; and it is one of the duties of those Theosophists who study occultism to warn their brethren of the dangers incurred by those who know nothing of the real nature of those apparitions: to warn them that a shell is not "spirit." This statement of mine I find qualified as "simply absurd." Having never regarded as absurd anything said or written by Mr. Subba Row, I could not retaliate even if I would, I can only pronounce the epithet, let us say--unkind, and demur to the qualification. Had the author to face "practical demonstration" in spiritual phenomena and "materializations of spirits," so called, he would soon find that his four principles never could cover the ground of this kind of phenomena. Even the lower aspect of the principle of manas (physical brain, or its post-mortem auric survival) and of kama rupa are hardly sufficient to explain the seemingly intelligent and spiritual principles (bhut or elements) that manifest through mediums. (V) It is not consistent with fact and truth to charge me, "the original (?) exponent herself," with changing my conceptions about the nature of principles. "I have never changed them, nor could I do so." In this I claim my right too, as Mr. Subba Row does, to my evidence being "the best and the most direct evidence available as regards my own states of consciousness." I may have used wrong Sanskrit expressions (and even wrong and clumsily put English sentences, for the matter of that)--while trying to blend the Arhat with the Brahmanical occult tenets. As to those conceptions, my "four principles" have to disintegrate and vanish in the air, before any amount of criticism can make me regard my ten fingers as only four; although metaphysically, I am fully prepared to admit that they exist only in my own mayavic perceptions and states of consciousness. (VI) Mr. Subba Row, taking hold of Esoteric Buddhism, the "Elixir of Life," and Man, is pleased to father all their sins of omission and commission on the "Original Expounder." This is hardly fair. The first work was written absolutely without my knowledge, and as the author understood those teachings from letters he had received, what have I to do with them? The "Elixir of Life" was written by its author under direct dictation, or inspection, in his own house, in a faraway country, in which I had never been till two years later. Finally, Man was entirely rewritten by one of the two "chelas" and from the same materials as those used by Mr. Sinnett for Esoteric Buddhism; the two having understood the teachings, each in his own way. What had I to do with the "states of consciousness" of the three authors, two of whom wrote in England while I was in India? He may attribute to the lack of scientific precision in the "original teachings," there being "a jumble." No one would accuse Mr. Subba Row's Bhagavad Gita lectures of any such defects. Yet, I have already heard three or four intelligent persons among our members expounding the said three lectures (those which have already appeared)--in three different and diametrically opposite ways. This will do, I believe. The Secret Doctrine will contain, no doubt, still more heterodox statements from the Brahminical view. No one is forced to accept my opinions or teaching in the Theosophical Society, one of the rules of which enforces only mutual tolerance for religious views. Our body is entirely unsectarian and "only exacts from each member that toleration of the beliefs of others which he desires . . . in regard to his own faith." Most of us have been playing truants to this golden rule as to all others: more's the pity. --H. P. BLAVATSKY Theosophist, August, 1887 |


text:
Friday, February 24, 2012
DL's Guide To Surviving A to Z
46 comments:
- Jeremy [Retro] said...
excitement builds. this is going to be great... and nice solid post.
- February 24, 2012 at 11:43 AM
- Laura S. said...
Hi, DL! This is the best A-Z survival kit on the market for sure. :) Can't believe how fast April is arriving!
Hope you have a great weekend! - February 24, 2012 at 11:45 AM
- Gossip_Grl said...
Thanks for the survival suggestions. : )
- February 24, 2012 at 12:41 PM
- Alex J. Cavanaugh said...
Keep it short, people!
And duct tape is the answer for everything. - February 24, 2012 at 12:48 PM
- farawayeyes said...
Brevity - yeah right,you know me. You didn't tell me what to do with the duct tape, but then maybe I don't want to know.
- February 24, 2012 at 12:55 PM
- Talli Roland said...
Great thoughts, DL. And yes, brevity is so important.
- February 24, 2012 at 1:14 PM
- Matthew MacNish said...
Lots of excellent advice. I think after brevity, the most important thing is a theme. Combine theme with a letter of the alphabet, and keep your post under 100 words, and the posts will practically write themselves.
- February 24, 2012 at 1:46 PM
- Brinda said...
I have a calendar where I plan on my guests, hops, topics, etc. related to my blog. I've got my alphabet planning started and noted on each date. Brevity? I can be good at that one. :) Great post.
- February 24, 2012 at 2:00 PM
- Ro @ Eat Live Move said...
Thank you for this survival kit. I need all of the tips I can get. This April will be my first blogging challenge. I'm anxious and excited!
- February 24, 2012 at 2:33 PM
Thanks! These tips will help a lot!
- February 24, 2012 at 2:39 PM
- DL Hammons said...
Retro ~ And builds...and builds!
Laura ~ And I can let you have it for an exceptional price to! :)
Gossip_Grl ~ Your most welcome!
Alex ~ And now that they have colored duct tape...I'm in seventh heaven!
Farawayeyes ~ LOL!
Talli ~ Crucial!
Matt ~ Write themselves...now that's an idea. :)
Brinda ~ I knew you would be organized!
Ro ~ It's gonna be a blast! Glad you're on-board.
Jeremy ~ You're welcome! - February 24, 2012 at 3:23 PM
- StratPlayerCJF said...
Akkkkkk!!! I've tried to resist, really I have. I certainly don't need another 'gotta do,' especially one that lasts a whole freakin' month!
But... yet... It's so tempting. So shiny. So... wonderfully compelling:
"Come! Join us! Be part of us! Embrace the A-to-Z blogging collective!
Auugghhh!! I surrender! God Help me, I'll do it!!!
And come mid-April, if I get crazed and collapse into a sniveling heap of pathetic writer-overload, remember DL:
This is all YOUR fault!!!! - February 24, 2012 at 3:45 PM
- PR said...
Damn I always forget the duct tape! Great tips, thank you :)
Universal Gibberish - February 24, 2012 at 4:04 PM
- Unknown said...
This will be my first blog challenge too! I'm pretty new to blogging but am excited for this challenge.
Thanks for the tips! - February 24, 2012 at 4:05 PM
- Ghadeer said...
thanks for the advice! hahaha you make it sound stressful!
- February 24, 2012 at 4:29 PM
- Arlee Bird said...
LISTEN TO THIS MAN PEOPLE! He's right on the mark here. Great post. Any kit that includes duct tape is a winner in my book.
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge - February 24, 2012 at 4:43 PM
- Susan Flett Swiderski said...
Brevity is definitely gonna be the biggest challenge for me, but I'm working on it. Oh, and you left something out of your kit. Duct tape only fixes SOME problems; for the rest, you need WD-40.
- February 24, 2012 at 5:51 PM
- mshatch said...
all very good ideas - especially the scheduling in advance one which I am trying to work on. I've got A done :)
- February 24, 2012 at 6:11 PM
- Kristi said...
Ok, I don't know if it's my guilt from being such a bad blogger lately or if it's your overwhelmingly convincing advice, but I'm feeling crazy and AM going to sign up.
Time to start writing those posts now! :) - February 24, 2012 at 6:30 PM
- OT Ebby said...
Good advice. I especially like having 'permission' to be brief! It's my first time doing the A-Z and I must admit I had been thinking more about what I was going to write than allowing myself plenty of time to look at other blogs- even though I have already learned a whole lot of helpful stuff by following the 'lead up' posts to the event.
Ebby - February 24, 2012 at 6:48 PM
- Belle said...
Great advice, DL.
- February 24, 2012 at 7:08 PM
- Tina said...
This rocks, DL. EXCELLENT advice. I made my brevity card and it's on display, clothes-pinned to my mac. I didn't write my A post yet...but I already know what it is, so I feel like I could crank it out fairly quickly. It's been such fun already, all of us working together to make this event happen. Go team A-Z 2012!
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the April 2012 Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#atozchallenge - February 24, 2012 at 7:37 PM
- Debra Harris-Johnson said...
Very good stuff! Thanks
dreamweaver - February 24, 2012 at 8:07 PM
- Marta Szemik said...
Keep it brief, keep it brief, keep it brief (that's so hard for me to do, but I will).
Keep it brief and they will come.
Great post! - February 24, 2012 at 8:29 PM
- Jessica Salyer said...
Thanks for the great tips DL! I keep meaning to start writing some post, but I haven't yet. I like Matthew's idea of a common theme. Although, it would be nice if they worte themselves. I guess it's me and a dictionary this weekend.
- February 24, 2012 at 9:43 PM
- Susan Gourley/Kelley said...
More great suggestions. I'm ready except for the duct tape.
- February 24, 2012 at 10:31 PM
- Tracy Jo said...
I got my backpack loaded! This is all such great advice. Thank you, DL!
- February 24, 2012 at 10:53 PM
- Julie Daines said...
Thank you so much for mentioning brevity. I've participated in other blogfests, and when I see a post that's paragraph after paragraph, I shake my head and look for another blog.
- February 24, 2012 at 11:07 PM
- klahanie said...
Oh gosh, not sure I contain myself with the incredible thrill of the next A to Z Blogging Challenge!
Ah yes, I can see it now, a zillion bloggers doing um, 'A is for Apple'...and Zed is for, or if you are American, 'Zee' is for ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......
Fantastic that you are bringing, yet again, further awareness of the alphabet! Good luck, rookie. I can hardly wait for April and do some of my eagerly awaited, to the point of euphoric ecstasy, alternative, satire blogs do this gosh, darn fun, A to Z Challenge.
Okay, seriously, have fun and happy writing :) Now then, let me think, A is for Again. The A to Z Challenge is here again!
Um enough BREVITY in my comment? Yes? No? You don't care? - February 25, 2012 at 12:00 AM
- Pearson Report said...
Short and sweet...leave them wanting.
That's what works for me.
Thanks DL!
Jenny @ Pearson Report
Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
Twitter: @AprilA2Z - February 25, 2012 at 12:27 AM
- Dani said...
Hey DL, so I finally got a chance to check out this post. NICE! Great post! I'm ready for April. The note card idea - brilliant! Totally doing this! Thanks for the kit ideas.
- February 25, 2012 at 1:25 AM
- Christine Rains said...
Hehehe! Great survival tips. This is my first time doing the Challenge. My tactic to keep my sanity is doing the posts before April. I've done all the way through J so far. That way I can spend my time in April just visiting other participants which is the biggest part of the fun for me.
- February 25, 2012 at 3:05 AM
- Heather Murphy said...
Brevity and duct tape...got it! Thanks :)
- February 25, 2012 at 3:23 AM
- Mina Lobo said...
I hope someone reading this decides to "A to Z" blog on 26 uses for duct tape. (Not me; I'm the opposite of handy...would that make me handless?)
- February 25, 2012 at 4:34 AM
- Arlee Bird said...
Mina -- Love the 26 uses for duct tape A to Z. Now I want to see that one.
Klahanie --Have you officially signed up on the list yet? You really should you know. Your posts have become an A to Zed tradition. No reason why you can't have 26 official satirical posts. You know you want to. And your fans are waiting for you.
Lee - February 25, 2012 at 5:54 AM
- MISH said...
Hey DL - great survival strategy from a self-confessed rookie...
Countdown continues... 36 days to go... - February 25, 2012 at 8:44 AM
- DL Hammons said...
Chris ~ Take long deep breaths! You'll thank for me this in May! :)
Anna ~ And I always forget the WD40. *shakes head*
Amanda ~ You will absolutely LOVE it! Promise!! :)
jnana ~ Only for a small percentage. Preparation cures all ills.!
Arlee ~ I learned from the best!
Susan ~ As soon as I saw it on your comment I remembered it. I also forgot clean underwear...that one's for mom. :)
Marcy ~ Great job! One down, at least a few more to go!
Kristi ~ YAY!!! You just gave me the warm fuzzies! :)
Ebby ~ You have my permission...and then some!
Belle ~ Thank you!
Tina ~ We have such an awesome team! There's not much we can't accomplish!
Debra ~ I hope it helped. Thank you!
Marta ~ Keep it brief and they will come. I LOVE IT!
Jessica ~ I checked this morning to see if any had written themselves. Nope. Dang it!
Susan ~ Shame on you. Duct tape should always be on hand! :)
Tracy ~ Somehow I knew you'd be prepared! :)
Julie ~ Amen!!!
klahanie ~ Sounds like you're biting at the bit!
Jenny ~ It's a universal formula! :)
Danielle ~ I'm glad you like my idea. I'm visual that way!
Christine ~ That sounds like a great plan!!
Heather ~ Truly...that's all it takes! :)
Mina ~ Hmmmmmmmmmmm!!
Mish ~ Cross another day off the calendar! :)
Cruising Altitude 2.0 - February 25, 2012 at 2:54 PM
- Nicki Elson said...
I'm going to link to this post over at my place. I talked a couple blog friends into joining and I can tell they're starting to freak out.
I'm w/ Matthew on the theme - it makes choosing a topic each day so much easier, and also easier to keep things brief since it's more like one long blog post broken into bite sized pieces. :)
BTW, I've got my posts written through Y. ;) - February 25, 2012 at 4:07 PM
- DL Hammons said...
Nicki ~ You're my hero!! :)
- February 25, 2012 at 10:41 PM
- Shannon Lawrence said...
Great advice! Keep it brief and keep it fun. This is a fun challenge, not something that should be taken so seriously that it's not enjoyable anymore.
Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z - February 25, 2012 at 11:37 PM
- Jean Katherine Baldridge said...
what a great post! I loved everything about this guy!
jean :) - February 26, 2012 at 4:02 AM
- John Teal said...
Duct tape is like the force.. It has a light side and a dark side and it hold tg universe together .
This is my second year and this time I have a notes page on my iPhone with letters a-z listed. Every time I thing of a topic for a letter it gets noted down. Hopefully even if I have no posts written I will at least have 26 topics by the time April arrives. - February 26, 2012 at 7:13 AM
- Melissa Sugar said...
Well I almost had an idea, but Mina thought of it already. I thought I would be so clever blogging on uses of duct tape beginning with each letter. Shows you how warped my brain is right now. I am guessing everyone who read this before me already considered that.
Thanks for the survival tips. No offense to anyone, but I am adding wine and lots of it to my kit. I quit smoking with my husband after his last heart scare so there is no way I can sneak a smoke into my survival kit. What a month to quit.
I feel better after reading all of the helpful post. Donna McNicol has an excellent one as well (she plugs yours) . Anyone who has not read it should check it out.
The only thing I am still freaking out about is whether or not I have to have a theme and what it will be.
So the big tip is brevity. As you can tell from the length of this comment-I will have to work on some major restraint. - February 28, 2012 at 1:18 AM
- Unknown said...
Great post! The weird thing is I have all these items within a few feet of me. Including the duct tape, courtesy of my DH.
- March 1, 2012 at 6:20 PM
- Narayana Rao K.V.S.S. said...
April is coming. Survival kits are to be opened. Shall remember Brevity.
- March 31, 2012 at 12:10 AM
- Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...
Great tips are here for all the A to Z writers, Last year i missed this
very good post to take note of some points to start with
Brevity the word stand in front or top of the list. Thanks for the reminder. Good
Keep going
Keep inform
Best - February 19, 2013 at 6:33 PM


text:
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Material Transfer, www.materialtransfer.com


text:
This creamy pumpkin cheesecake is a special treat. Serve it at Thanksgiving or at a Christmas gathering and be prepared to get compliments. It sits on a gingersnap crust and is crowned by a creamy sour cream topping and a sprinkle of crunchy toffee. A springform pan is used here to facilitate serving.
Pumpkin-Toffee Cheesecake
Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan, roasting pan at least 11 inches wide
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Crust for Pumpkin-Toffee Cheesecake
11/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Make the cookie crumbs by placing crispy ginger cookies in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until the mixture is finely ground.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the insides of 9-inch springform pan with pan coating. Wrap the outside of the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, coming at least halfway up the outside.
Combine the gingersnap crumbs and butter in a small bowl and stir until blended. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the crumb crust is just beginning to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups lightly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup solid pack pumpkin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Beat the cream cheese until creamy in a mixer's bowl using a flat paddle attachment on medium speed. Add the sugar and brown sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Do not use low-fat versions of cream cheese; the cake will not come out properly.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl once or twice. Beat in the pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice just until well blended.
Pour the filling onto the cooled crust. Place the cake in a roasting pan and add hot tap water to come 1 inch up the pan's sides.
Bake in a 325-degree oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The cheesecake will look slightly puffed and the center will still be loose and a bit wobbly. Proceed with the topping.
Topping for Pumpkin-Toffee Cheesecake
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup toffee pieces
Quickly whisk together the sour cream and sugar and spread gently and evenly over the top of the cheesecake. It will probably be level with the top of the pan or near to it; that's okay.
Place the cake back in the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a rack. Refrigerate overnight.
To serve, run the tip of a sharp paring knife around the outer edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. Release the springform, remove the outer ring, and place the cheesecake on a serving platter. Sprinkle toffee bits over the top right before serving.
Per serving: Calories 648 (From fat 396); Total fat 44g (Saturated 26g); Cholesterol 187mg; Sodium 431mg; Carbohydrates 55g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 11g.
Cheesecake can be sticky to cut and serve. Use a very sharp, thin-bladed knife and dip it in very hot water before slicing; doing so works wonders. Some people even use dental floss to cut the cake! Cut a long piece of floss, at least 2 feet long. Wind the ends around your fingers, hold tight and use it to slice through the cake. Just don't use mint flavored!


text:
By Ian Anderson
In this day and age, it's hard to imagine that anyone could be completely unfamiliar with "curry", if not with the subtle variety of Indian cuisine.
Wherever we look, the supermarket shelves are filled with ever-more interesting and seductive homage to the world of spice and chile pepper madness. Thai, Indian and spicy Chinese ready meals and menu dishes are the norm where once reigned supreme the chicken-nugget, meat loaf and shepherd's pie.
If you live in the UK or in any major US or European city, you will find in your local yellow pages the address of at least one or, perhaps, many Indian restaurants — both eat-in and take-away.
There are currently around 8000 Indian restaurants in the UK making one such eatery for every 6000, or so, of our total population. Given the demographic and geographic realities of this fact, there is almost sure to be an Indian Restaurant in every British small town or large village of 2000 or more inhabitants. Over two million people eat each week at Indian restaurants with another three million households cooking at home some form of Indian food, purchased at their local supermarket.
No wonder, then, that the Indian meal has superceded the Sunday roast and the Fish 'n Chip shop in representing the new (and some might suggest improved) national dish of our once great land.
The Indians (and Bangladeshis, who are often actually the owners and operators of "Indian" restaurants) have always proved most industrious in bringing their culture and hard-working efforts to foreign shores — whether in the culinary trades or perhaps at the village shop (now, thankfully, probably open 24 hours a day).
From New York to Brisbane, the robust delights of the Indian food revolution are now to be sampled and savoured. But if you are a novice in the ordering stakes and the roulette wheel of gastric disorder threatens, what to ask for? Where to pin-stick the carry-out menu?
We may have experienced a King Prawn or two in our maritime excesses and might fancy we know of the health advantage to be gained from a windy pulse, fiber-endowed veggie or plain staple rice.
Take your seat for dinner: napkin politely on knee and pretended perusal of the wine list. First, play for time. Sit back, look confident and ascertain from the waiter if there is an imported and suitably chilled Indian lager beer to be found in the house. This should be a Lal Toofal, Cobra, Taj Mahal, or, best of all (but not if brewed under license in the UK) the Kingfisher.
Otherwise, it may be prudent to stall a little longer with the Bud, Harp, Millers Lite or whatever passes for a slurpy sip. Or maybe just passes……
First of all: meat, fish or vegetable as a main course? Let's get the big and scary bit out of the way. Dry or in a sauce? Spicy-hot or mild and creamy?
The great thing about Indian cuisine is the availability of vegetarian options. Lentils, greens, roots and branches, are all conjured up to please, titillate and satisfy. Perhaps in the form of an integrated and complete Vegetarian Thali, attractively served in a "silver" dish of that name, the chance to sample several small vegetable portions will be found. No longer the poor cousin of the carnivorous night-out nibbler, you may indulge yourself with glee, ghee (purified butter) and total satisfaction in your descent to the ultimate in Vegan gluttony. Whoops, forgot about the butter……
Let's first consider the mild: Korma, Passanda and Muglai are the words to watch for. Liberal in their creamy mildness, these dishes, from different areas of the Indian sub-continent, will be face and bowel-savers when the chips are down.
For those who favour the dryer ,purer and not-too-hot taste of the source meat or fish, try the Tikka or Tandoori versions.
Really spicy hot stuff will be tackled head-on in the Madras or Vindaloo variations on the theme. Brave but occasionally foolish forkers, like me, will feel compelled to go for the Phal or Tindaloo, those macho show-off botty-crippling dishes which we become strangely ever-addicted to. Nothing disrupts a band sound-check like the pervasive after-effects of the Tarka Dhal (lentils and garlic).
More acceptably rich and medium in their saucy tastefulness are the so-called Massalas — chicken, prawn, shrimp, beef, lamb or whatever. These might be described as the ultimate safe bet for the first or second timer.
The CTM (or Chicken Tikka Massala) is the somewhat overly-acclaimed replacement for Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, at least where I come from.
The touchy and sensitive palate might prefer the delicate chicken or lamb Korma which is cooked in a thick creamy yoghurt-based sauce. Bhajee usually refers to a side vegetable dish as an accompaniment
Pilau is, broadly speaking, a fried rice with additions such as prawn or vegetable but might just be the simple patna long-grained rice fried in spices, then boiled with chicken stock to fluff it out, as an accompaniment to a main dish.
Kebabs are a sausage-like starter and could be lamb or beef.
The Persian-origin (but delicious) Dhansak should be medium-hot, sweet and sour and lentil-based.
The Pathia is usually a dryer version of the same.
Birianis are the safe haven for the Risotto aficionado, being a rice-plus sort of dish, often served with a wet vegetable curry on the side.
Indian breads are simple and simply delicious. Nan, cooked in the Tandoor clay oven, unleavened and doughy, is a delight to be dipped. The fried Paratha, perhaps with enclosed vegetable filling, is fattening but fulfilling. The Chapati is a pancake-like thin excuse for a diet-conscious excursion into a dhal (lentil) sauce. Purees are deep-fried puffy and crisp pastry enclosures for fish, veg. or whatever.
The ubiquitous Poppadom resembles a giant potato chip, but is made from lentil flour, not potato. Massala (spicy) poppadoms or plain (boring) poppadoms are the perfect time-killer while you think about ordering any of the rest of these dishes. Often served with dips of a mild or spicy nature, they allow for cogitation, deliberation, and excitation before the moment of truth (and consequences).
Should you happen upon a restaurant specializing in regional, rather than generic Indian cooking, rejoice.
South Indian food, perhaps from the state of Kerala, is rich in vegetarian and seafood options as well as being famous for rice flour "breads" and pancakes such as Idlis and Dosas served with the ubiquitous Sambhar, a lentil-based soupy sauce for dipping and accompanying most meals, including breakfast. From the muslim north, come mild, smooth and creamy Mughlai and Passanda lamb and chicken curries or, from the Kashmir region, fruity mild dishes or the rich tomato flavoured lamb dish Rogan Josh which might be the preferred and more cautious way to go. If all the tasty hot spices prove to be your undoing, then have immediate recourse to the cooling cucumber and yoghurt Raita. Best order some anyway as a side dish if in doubt. Plain water rather than beer or wine will help still the raging result of any rash tasting of your companion's pork Vindaloo. Monica, pleeeease……
Starters could be a small portion of Tandoori chicken (on the bone), chicken Tikka (cubed pieces), or the always-popular Samosa, a triangular meat or vegetable-filled pastry parcel.
Soups are, typically, Dhal soup or the rather Anglicised invention of the days of the Raj, the Mulligatawny soup — chicken and rice and not a million miles from the way your Jewish mother-in-law might have wished it.
There are, of course many, many regional dishes, especially snacks, which are to be best found and appreciated in their natural habitat of the sub-continent, but for now, the standard Indian restaurant menu must remain as our sometimes pedantic but forever pragmatic model of culinary adventure. Not exactly fast food, but tasty chow in a bit of a hurry.
So, here follows the attempt to condense in simple terms, a few selections of menu choice according to some basic preferences and tastes.
Starter: Vegetable Samosa or Chicken Tikka. Plain Poppadoms.
Main course: Lamb Tikka or Tandoori King prawn.
Pilau rice.
Cauliflower or spinach (Sag) Bhajee.
Starter: Dhal or Mulligatawny soup, Nan or Roti bread.
Main course: Chicken or Lamb Korma, Passanda, or Mughlai.
Pilau rice.
Brinjal Bhajee (Aubergine) or Aloo Chana (potato and chick pea).
Starter: Prawn puree or Sheek kebab.
Main course: Prawn Pathia or Chicken Bhuna.
Vegetable Biriani, Tarka Dhal (wet lentil/garlic sauce).
Starter: Soup or Prawn Puree.
Main course: Rogan Josh (lamb), Chicken Tikka Massala Chicken or Prawn Dhansak.
Plain or Pilau rice.
Sag Aloo (Spinach and potato), Mutter Paneer (chick peas and cheese).
Main course: Beef Madras (hot), Prawn Vindaloo (very hot). Chicken Phal (extremely hot).
Best with plain rice.
Dhal Samba (spicy vegetables in lentil sauce). Most restaurants will happily "spice up" any vegetable dish on request, although this may merely mean an extra spoonful of curry powder.
All of the above recommendations are based on the typical, average preparations you will most likely encounter. But you can never account for some differences in "interpretation" as to heat strength. I once ordered a simple Tandoori Chicken for everyone in an infamous so-called Indian restaurant in Sydney, Australia, only to find that the new chef (who was probably from Alice Springs) had mistakenly used neat red Chile powder instead of the dry and mild Tandoori marinade. My wife, Shona took to Australian Lager in a big way that lunch time in a vain attempt to put out the fire.
Your idea of a really hot curry may be quite at variance with mine. However, there is no point in indulging in the silly Macho tendency to consume the most incendiary plate on the planet. If it is so hot that you can't taste the subtlety of the juicy (and expensive) King Prawn or the delicate flavourings of the many spices which make up even the most unpretentious curry powder or paste which, sadly, most restaurants feel obliged to use, then it becomes a mere burn-fest. The good folks of Mother India know full well that the balancing of herbs, spices, chiles, vegetable, fish and fowl, appropriate to each individual dish, requires a delicate touch.
You may be fortunate enough to stumble upon a more up-scale Indian restaurant which uses freshly ground spices and makes up sauces from scratch, rather than using the pre-prepared stuff, necessarily typical of industrialised food preparation everywhere. Go for it. Pay for it. Thank the Pantheon of Hindu Gods for it. And tip the waiter.
Final thought:
Wagner, Beethoven and Hendrix might have chanced the Vindaloo but Mozart, Debussy and John Denver were probably Korma or, perhaps, Dhansak guys on a daring night. Got the picture? See you in Curry Heaven.
Ian Anderson.


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Matt and I have been discussing the idea of constructing a rustic table for a few months now and we have a local salvage yard nearby that offers different kinds of reclaimed wood for just such a project. We've gone back and forth on whether we want to build one for the outdoors or a slightly more polished version for our kids playroom area, soon to be converted to a study.
A few months ago I got an email from Will of Windfall Cove, introducing himself and we struck up a conversation. I'm so fascinated with this process so I asked Will to share some more information about how he builds a reclaimed wood farm table.
Will and his business partner Brian used to work in fire and medical services, but had a long time passion for woodworking, so they decided to follow it and begin a new business building furniture for people in their area and Windfall Cove was born. (I love these kinds of stories!) In their Massachusetts town, Will and Brian handcraft heirloom quality rustic pieces with weathered and reclaimed barn wood (detail seen below) with their customer's custom design in mind.
Here's Will to share the process of building a reclaimed wood farm table:
"Hello CG readers, Will here to share with you how a table goes from order to completion at Windfall Cove. Our clients usually have a familiar story. They have a particular space in their home or office that is in need of the perfect piece of furniture. After they have shopped with furniture stores and either are dissatisfied with the options or found that items sold cannot be ordered to the exact size or style they are in need of, we come in to build a custom table for them.
Once we are contacted we will start a plan discussion with our client to talk about the design, size, stain color and work out all the details for their project or simply brainstorm an idea. We build each piece to our client's specifications, we are proud of our finished products and love hearing from our clients and seeing the piece in its intended place.
We regularly visit an old saw mill that was originally built in the early 1900s and still saws Northeastern White Pine now generations later. With our customer's design, we head out to the mill and there, we hand pick each weathered or reclaimed board that will be a perfect fit for the project. In our shop, we lay out the boards, line up grain patterns, and rough cut the length.
Each board has its own grain pattern that is produced during tree growth. A series of loops, lines and knots provide different patterns. At times, we are able to find two boards that were cut in sequence from the log and provides what we call a "book match". Since boards are moved all around during the sawing process, it is difficult to find boards from the same tree at times.
We use a common bonding process to join the top boards using high strength glue, biscuits and bar clamps to secure.
After drying overnight we trim and hand shape the top, grinding and sanding methods are used to get the desired texture and shape.
We offer a few base styles, this particular project known as the common "Farm Table" has square legs with an offset. Other base styles are available, such as our version of the Industrial Trestle and a more modern Parsons style as well. At this point, we will construct the desired base for the table based on the customer's specifications. Here, 4 inch square legs are attached to the newly constructed apron. We use Red Oak for the corner blocks to provide a strong anchor point for the legs.
During this stage of construction, we can add a few rustic characteristics to enhance the finished product, such as dents and dings made with a chain. Many items with different shapes, sizes or textures can be used to either strike or scrape the wood surface adding character to the wood that will be enhanced once the table is stained.
Once we assemble the base, using the same rough cut wood stock as the top, we attach it then stain the table to the customers specifications. Common stain colors tend to be within the brown or red family. We also have and continue to research natural stains like coffee, wine or even sediment from old nails left in a bucket to rust. Our research has shown that the natural stains do not have nearly the color pigments within manufactured stains, however does have a slight tint that would appeal to a client that desires more of the bare or natural wood finishes.
To finish the table, we use a polyurethane and apply two coats over two days. A little light sanding and a natural polish, and the table is done. It is always a nice addition to any room for gathering with family or friends for a home cooked meal and conversation."
Wow, that wood has so much character, don't you think? This is not a sponsored post, I just loved their story how they followed their passion and I'm so fascinated with this kind of handcraftsmanship!
If you have any questions about the process, feel free to ask them and I'll have Will follow up with some answers!


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(CNN) -- At least three of the four makers of H1N1 vaccine have begun shipping their products, their representatives told CNN Tuesday.
A single dose induces a strong immune response in healthy adults and children as young as 9.
Sanofi Pasteur said Tuesday it shipped the first batch of H1N1 flu vaccine from its plant in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, several days earlier than expected.
Further shipments will follow, with a total of 75.3 million doses expected through December, said Donna Cary, spokeswoman for the vaccine maker.
Citing security concerns, she would not divulge which of the distribution centers set up by the Department of Health and Human Services will get the first doses.
Another vaccine maker, MedImmune, shipped its first batch of 5 million doses to regional distribution centers last Tuesday, company spokeswoman Karen Lancaster said. HHS bought 40 million doses from the company, she said.
Novartis began its shipments on Sunday, said spokesman Eric Althoff, who said he did not know the size of the order.
"This is the first of many shipments," he said.
The fourth maker, GlaxoSmithKline, did not immediately respond to a telephone call.
"We will have enough vaccine available for everyone," Kathleen Sebelius told the House Energy and Commerce Committee this month.
Tuesday's shipment comes a few days before health officials had anticipated. This month, Sebelius had predicted that the large-scale vaccination program against H1N1 -- also called swine flu -- would begin in mid-October at as many as 90,000 sites, and that limited amounts of the vaccine were expected to be available a week to 10 days earlier.
A single dose induces a strong immune response in healthy adults and children as young as 9, though children younger than that may need two doses, she said.
Clinical trials are under way among pregnant women, who appear to be at heightened risk of dying from the disease.
Though researchers had originally expected it would take 21 days from the time of inoculation for the vaccine to induce an immune response robust enough to confer protection, they were pleasantly surprised when the first trials found that protection occurred in eight to 10 days for most people older than 9 years of age.
The two types of vaccine that have been approved -- a flu shot made from inactivated or dead virus and a nasal spray made from live, weakened virus -- will be available free of charge, though some providers may charge an "administration fee," Sebelius said.
The last attempt to inoculate the U.S. population against a type of swine flu occurred in 1976 after some 200 soldiers from Fort Dix, New Jersey, became infected.
The flu never spread, but some 40 million Americans got the vaccine, which was blamed for hundreds of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that causes severe muscle weakness.
All About Swine Flu • U.S Department of Health and Human Services


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You may be eligible for a merit-based scholarship. These renewable scholarships are available to first-year and transfer students on a competitive basis. Scholarships are not available once students have matriculated at the University. Barry University does not offer need-based financial assistance to international students (students without United States citizenship or permanent residency).
Please note: All international students entering Barry in F-1 visa status must have adequate funding to meet their expenses (this includes personal, travel, and vacation, as well as university-related expenses).


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Note: This comes up as a byproduct of Qiaochu's question "What are examples of good toy models in mathematics?"
There seems to be a general philosophy that problems over function fields are easier to deal with than those over number fields. Can someone actually elaborate on this analogy between number fields and function fields? I'm not sure where I can find information about this. Ring of integers being Dedekind domains, finite residue field, RH over function fields easier to deal with, anything else? Being quite ignorant about this analogy, I am actually not even convinced that why working over function fields "should" give insights about questions about number fields.


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We've been to plenty of opera in sacred spaces. Now for the profane.
Last week in the Bernese Jura region of French-speaking Switzerland, way up north where late June evening lows predicate dignity (via a Chanel mini leather jacket), OC left miasma-wreathed Milan for gluttony, absinthe, silence, precision and early curfews. And painfully good hair days, thanks to abated humidity.
While exploring the arcadian little towns, castles and battlement walls on three blue lakes -- Morat, Neuchâtel and Bienne -- cities described by natives as being evocative (color wise) of butter or slate or beaver tail, we dropped a few days into Moutier to take in the city's Festival Stand'été, a two-week festival of jazz, opera, folk and theater (Mumenschanz!?)
Sure, the big Swiss cities flush with CHF can get the big names and bigger egos (in fact, we followed-up our French Swiss tour with a bit of luxury casting at the Zuercher Festspiele, reviews forthcoming), but we wanted to check out the smaller, younger, cheekier festivals in grit-free air and guilt-free fondue.
So off to Moutier, founded by St-Germain around 640AD, to visit friends and take-in a classic (but snipped) Giulio Cesare with the Orchestre Musique Des Lumières, flogged into Haendelian submission by conductor Facundo Agudin in stoic effort that ran a bit heavy on legato but was brightened up by harpsichord.
Tickets in hand, we rolled up to the club, but the club was a wooden barn with ambitions, a former shooting range and livestock shelter during inclement weather. At 8pm, Act I in medias res, an adjacent church's bells pealed through the venue, an incongruous mix of the countryside and Baroque opera, bird semaphore and crepuscular insect songs passing through light-leaking slats. There was magic here. Or maybe we were high on crisp, thin mountain air. Whatevs. During the second act intermission, festival organizers dropped fleece blankets onto chairs as the mountain winds slid through wood into the musty (we're just gonna say it), livestocky air (this city girl isn't nimble with country adjectives). Blankets at the operahouse? F**k yeah. Fastball up & in, slider low & away. The only thing missing was s'mores.
Confronted with the venue's rustic challenges, director Vincent Scalbert and his creative team gave it their best DIY glamour, via video projections such as falling snow or careening butterflies, quite atmospheric but it exorcised the libretto's noble, heroic undercurrents. The young cast (frankly none of whom aside from Lisandro Abadie's skillful, firm Cesare were stylized Haendelian singers nor counter-tenors for this edition) made up in passion for what they lacked in style: Hot-blooded Italian soprano, Raffaella Milanesi was a ravashing Cleopatra (we'd like to see her as an uncomplicated Puccini heroine or in Verdi's lighter lyric roles), Carine Séchaye brought fits of Sesto hysteria and Mélodie Ruvio gave a prim, proper Cornelia.
The festival closed today with a recital by hometown hero, Swiss-Italian pianist Olivier Cavé in Johann Sebastian Bach tracks from his new CD "Nel gusto Italiano", the same delirious ones we heard him play on an enchanted January night at La Fenice, Venice -- not that Haendel in a barn was any less enchanting...


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6 Chic Ways to Wear Fur Coats
ur coats are not the easiest outerwear to don. There's a fine line that separates you from looking chic and looking like an overdressed yeti. And yet this piece is the easiest thing to throw on if you want to elevate a basic look or make an instant statement. After all, what could be more luxurious than a fur coat?
Make sure you are doing it right. Here are celebrity-approved tricks on how to look fabulous in a fur coat!
1. Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner arrives at Los Angeles International Airport in California on December 8, 2015
The model/reality star donned the multi-colored Elizabeth and James "Bee" jacket over a cropped top and a pair of RTA Denim "Elson" jeans in black wax. True to her style, she accessorized with a pair of Sandro "Amele" boots and the Givenchy "Lucrezia" bag with the Fendi "Pompom" bag charm on it.
2. Poppy Delevingne
Poppy Delevingne at the LOVE Magazine – Christmas party at George Club in London on December 18, 2015
The 29-year-old model and socialite looked glamorous in her white fur coat that she wore over what looks like a leather dress. She also rocked a pair of gorgeous Mary Jane heels and a box clutch.
3. Sienna Miller
Sienna Miller at the LOVE Magazine – Christmas party at George Club in London on December 18, 2015
The 33-year-old made up the other half of the fur coat duo at the LOVE Magazine Christmas party in this ensemble. Sienna warmed up in a green coat, which was needed considering the cropped top and matching shorts combo going on in her outfit. She took the warmth meter up with a pair of tights and accessorized with a rust-colored handbag and a pair of platform shoes.
4. Rita Ora
Rita Ora leaving One Mayfair after attending a charity event in London on December 15, 2015
The X Factor judge and pop singer bundled up in a green oversized fur coat. She teamed it up with a crisscross-strapped leather top, boyfriend jeans and suede booties.
Cheryl Fernandez Versini seen leaving Fountain Studios in London on December 6, 2015
Rita's co-X Factor judge, Cheryl Fernandez Versini made her Stella McCartney "Dan" fur free coat look extremely wearable by partnering it with a slogan shirt, a pair of black pants and a pair of thigh-high boots.
Caggie Dunlop at the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani – VIP dinner at Hotel Chantelle in London on December 8, 2015
The Made in Chelsea star opted for a gradient fur outerwear. She wore it two ways – first over a shirt, a pair of black jeans and a pair of sandals and second over a turtleneck top, light washed jeans and booties.
There's no shortage of fur coats these days. We picked out some you might want to add to your closet:
1. DKNY Faux Fur Coat
2. Philipp Plein Milena Coat
3. Versace Hooded Coat
4. Shrimps Faux Fur Striped Coat
5. Just Female Mawi Coat
6. By Malene Birger Katinca Faux Fur Coat
7. Dorothee Schumacher Faux Fur Coat
Filed Under: By Malene Birger, Caggie Dunlop, Cheryl Cole, Coat, Collarless, DKNY, Dorothee Schumacher, Faux Fur, Fur, Fur-Lined, Just Female, Kendall Jenner, Long Coat, Overcoat, Philipp Plein, Poppy Delevingne, Rita Ora, Shrimps, Sienna Miller, Tailored, Top Coat, Versace
source:jacket.yournextshoes.com BY KATHY NOTO


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But Jessica is hardcore. She never cancels! ;) So I sent her a text at 7:00 to see if maybe she didn't realize it was raining and should we cancel. Nope, we were still going to meet at 8:00 at her house.
I'm so glad that we ended up running outside anyway! The rain stopped by 7:45, and the temp was actually in the low 40's. There was a lot of slush, but no more snow. Julia and Johna went with us, too, and we did our seven-mile long run. By the way, Jessica and I decided to switch our long runs to Mondays because it was the most convenient for both of us. I'm going to run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
I love burning that many calories at once! But I immediately think about what I can eat. Today, I was thinking of peanut butter, so after lunch I had a couple of spoonfuls. Jessica shares my peanut butter addiction, so she completely understands eating it from the jar ;)
We got a lot of snow over the weekend, and I got a chance to try out a product that is used to keep you from slipping while running (or walking) on snow and ice. Remember how I mentioned that I went to the running store, and tried on a couple of different shoe cleats? They were these rubber contraptions that you slide over your running shoes, and they have little spikes on the bottom of them to help grip the snow. They looked kind of like this:
(source) |
I was about to order them when I decided to ask if they'd let me review a set for the blog--and I told them that I keep the blog very honest, so if I didn't like them, I wasn't going to pretend I did! ;) I received a set in the mail just in time for the snow that dumped on us out of nowhere.
Here is what the Icespikes look like:
You get 32 spikes and the installation tool |
They are little tiny screws that have a couple of sharp prongs on the screw head that grip the snow/ice when you run. You screw these directly onto the bottom of your shoes.
I decided to use an older pair of my running shoes, since I don't need these spikes every time I run--just on the snowy or icy days. The instructions were very simple, and the whole process took less than 20 minutes to get them installed on my shoes. (Yes, my shoes are dirty and stained... but wouldn't you worry if they looked like they'd never been used?)
First, I marked them with a Sharpie (the instructions tell you where to mark) |
Then I just used the screwdriver tool to screw them in |
This is how they look while screwed in |
I was excited to give them a try, and thankfully, the snow had come in, so I dressed warmly and headed out. I was very surprised that I didn't FEEL the Icespikes on my shoes. They didn't compromise my stride at all, and while running through the snow, I actually didn't even notice that they were on. They made my footing feel very secure and after a few minutes, I stopped worrying about slipping and I just relaxed.
Overall, I think these things are PERFECT for what I was looking for! I wanted to feel safe running in the snow and even ice without wearing a clunky over-the-shoe contraption. My only complaint about them is that they are pretty loud while running on bare concrete. I made the comment to Renee and Alicia that I sounded like a horse while running on a bare patch of road. While running on the snow, however, they weren't any louder than plain old shoes.
Some positives I noted:
*Light and tiny--you barely even notice them
*They don't compromise my stride
*Easy to install
*They actually work really well!
*They're cheaper than the over-the-shoe cleats I tried on at the running store
*While I didn't try them on a muddy trail run, I imagine these would work just as well in mud as they do in snow
*You don't have to worry about what size to buy, because one size fits all
Some negatives:
*They're not something you'd want to put on and take off each time you run. You can take them off, but it would be a pain to do that every time. Having two pairs of shoes would work best.
*They're loud on bare concrete
So I'm happy that I found something I can use to train for my marathon even on our snowy days! Here is the website, in case you want to check it out.
(Disclosure: I was provided the set of Icespikes for free, but I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions I've shared are completely my own).
I had a dentist appointment after my run this morning. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate going to the dentist? My mouth is always so sore afterward--
The dentist saw that I was dressed in my running clothes and wearing my Garmin, so he asked about my running. Turns out he's run three full marathons, among other races. He ran the one in St. George that I read about on The Boring Runner's blog--check out the elevation profile on that! After seeing that, I told Jessica that we had our whole strategy wrong, trying to find a FLAT course ;) (If you've never checked out Adam's blog, you're missing out--despite calling himself "boring", he is very funny!)
Anyway, I have to go back to the dentist to get a filling. Luckily (or not) he had a cancellation tomorrow morning, so I won't have to wait too long.
Jerry is off work tomorrow, and I am SOOO happy about that! We are supposed to go out to lunch for my birthday, but we may not if my mouth is still numb. Either way, I'll be happy to spend some time with him since he's been working so much lately.


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Last modified: September 27, 2021
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Specialty chemical producer Rhodia has completed its acquisition of the McIntyre Group Ltd, announced in January, after receiving regulatory authorizations. McIntyre is a privately held manufacturer of specialty surfactants, based near Chicago. The acquisition reinforces Rhodia Novecare's product range for personal cleansing and extends its offer for hair care.
In the original acquisition announcement, Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO, Rhodia, stated, "It will reinforce our presence in innovative markets that are largely resistant to economic downturns. Our solid financial structure enables us to seize this opportunity today while investing to prepare our future. It is a clear fit with Rhodia's strategy and expertise, and it will contribute to our overall performance in the coming years."


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After fellating the MiniVan Majority on Oprah, Tom Cruise is now focusing his attention on that old bat Barbara Walters who is currently pimping her memoirs in a new book called Audition.
He appeared on The View yesterday via video to honour her, describing her as a "leading force for women not only in the newsroom but the world at large".
And how 'bout this rhetorical gem: "Do you realise (Barbara) that on October fourth 1976, when you became the first woman ever to anchor the evening news, that that moment in time would forever impel other women to reach for their goals in any field that they chose?"
Her response:
"Oh Tommy baby! How nice!"
Well of course he's being nice, you geriatric bitch. You aren't selling him out the way you sold your girls out. Way to represent the ladies!
Also note – Will Smith sent his regards too. His approach was, in typical Will form, more comedic. He joked about the fact that he Barbara was flirting with him during a recent interview.
Most interesting of all though, at least to me…
Tom and Will are wearing the same colour. Like they were sending each other a love message, non?


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No injuries were reported in Saturday afternoon's incident at the Rutgers Camden Tower, an on-campus building that houses roughly 200 undergraduate students. And while it appeared that a fire may have occurred there, school and fire officials were still trying to determine the source of the smoke and what, if any, damage had been caused.
The dorm was evacuated shortly after 4 p.m., and the displaced students were taken to the campus center to wait until the building was fully ventilated.


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We are in transition with this, as the state is no longer accepting ink prints. Go to Identigo to make an appointment at: https://uenroll.identogo.com/
The closest service is located at the Glenwood Springs Police Department.
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Family/Friends may deposit money into online accounts online at InmateCanteen.com . Cashiers checks or money orders may be mailed to the Inmate in the mail. The mailing address is: (Inmate's Name) Pitkin County Jail, 530 East Main Street, Suite 103, Aspen, CO 81611
Starting April 8th, 2019, The Pitkin County Detention Facility will not permit personal contact visits. Video visitation is provided during all non-lock down times including holidays. It is the inmate's responsibility to contact the visitor and inform them of their non-lock down times. Visitation can be conducted either over the internet by using the link below, or by using the locally provided kiosk in the detention facility. Video Visits are 20 minutes in duration. Visits are monitored for nudity and violations of safety and security rules. Detention staff reserve the right to terminate a visit for any violation and the inmate and visitor can be banned from using the video visitation system for a period of time. There will be a kiosk here in the jail lobby that will be available on a first come, first served basis. There is no cost to use this kiosk. You may also visit from the comfort of your home for a minimal charge. It is the responsibility of the inmate to communicate when he or she is available for a visit during 8:15 am - 10:30 pm MST. Visits will be limited to 20 minutes at a time, able to be back to back.
To be able to visit, you will need to set up an account at the link below:
Inmate Canteen
Due to our inmates being housed in Garfield County Jail while planning for the future mail to an inmate must be sent as follows.
Garfield County JailInmate's Name; Inmate's Booking NumberPO Box 30022 PMB 35803Durham, NC 27702
The inmates Booking number can be found on the Garfield County Jail website under Current Inmate list here: Current Inmates


text:
Hawai'i Police Department
Traffic Enforcement Unit
Sergeant Christopher D. Gali
Phone: 961-2332
March 9, 2009
Report No. C09007218
Media Release
A 49-year-old Puna man died Sunday (March 8) from injuries he sustained in an all-terrain vehicle crash on Road B in the Hawaiian Acres subdivision in the Puna District.
The victim was identified as Robert Teixeira of a Kurtistown address.
Responding to an 8:17 p.m. call, Puna patrol officers determined that the victim was operating a Suzuki King Quad ATV and traveling north on Road B when he lost control and overturned. The ATV was found on the victim.
The victim was wearing a helmet.
The victim was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:50 p.m.
It is unknown at this time if speed or alcohol were involved.
Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a coroner's inquest case and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Police ask anyone with information on this crash to call Officer Andres Fojas at 961-8889.
Because this crash occurred on a private road, the death is not counted toward the island's official traffic fatality count.