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Friday, August 05, 2011
In his article "Dehumanized," Mark Slouka argues that the US education's focus on math and science and the neglect of the humanities spell the demise of democracy. The American education's "long running affair with math and science" is "obsessive, exclusionary" and "altogether unhealthy." And that is because the ways of science are "often dramatically anti-democratic." "There are many things," Slouka writes "math and science do well, and some they don't. And one of the things they don't do well is democracy."
Referring to a quote by Dennis Overbye that "Nobody was ever sent to prison for espousing the wrong value for the Hubble constant," Slouka complains that "To maintain its "sustainable edge," a democracy require its citizens to actually risk something, to test the limits of the acceptable… If the value you're espousing is one that could never get anyone, anywhere, sent to prison, then strictly democratically speaking you're useless." Democratically useful are only humanists because "upsetting people is arguably the very purpose of the arts and perhaps of the humanities in general." That is also the reason, Slouka explains, totalitarian societies are skimping the dangerously upsetting humanities: "Why would a repressive regime support a force superbly designed to resist it?"
The last thing his humanist colleagues should do, Slouka says, is to succumb to the capitalist' demand of accountability and economic utility, and attempt to fit in by justifying their existence on the enemies' terms. "In a visible world, the invisible does not compute… in a horizontal world of "information" readily convertible to product, the verticality of wisdom has no place." And Slouka evidently thinks wisdom is in the domain of the humanities. The trend to math and science is "the victory of whatever can be quantified over everything that can't" and clearly one that one should oppose.
Slouka sets out to make a case against neglect of the humanities in American education and ends up calling scientists the useless couch potatoes of democratic societies. But in his arguments he makes several leaps. Most importantly, he equates "the sciences" with "the scientists" and he mixes up the role of democracy in science and the role of science for democracy, two very different things.
The process of knowledge discovery in science is not democratic. It has never been, and I hope it never will be for it would be a disaster. It is useful to think of it from a system's perspective. Scientific progress just doesn't work by voting. I keep saying that it would be good if we had a better understanding of its working and what feedback mechanisms are beneficial, but we know that much. That scientific knowledge discovery doesn't operate democratically however doesn't mean scientists don't understand democracy or its relevance. Science teaches you to look at the evidence, to search for causal relations, correlations, and to identify and fix problems. Scientists know about the limits of predictability and the inevitability of uncertainty. They know what that statistic means and how to read that figure. They know the value of checking the references and that of reasoned argumentation. (Well, we're all human ;-)) The evidence says women are safer drivers than men. Upsetting? Where would democracy be without scientists?
But yes, scientists aren't the first to take it to the streets if the world doesn't run as they think it should. The people you find in the streets, those who start a revolution and throw the stones, are in the majority young unemployed males. Something to do with hormones too I guess, I'm sure somebody somewhere wrote a paper about this. The people who like their jobs, they stay in the lab and crunch the numbers because, actually, the world never runs as they think it should, but isn't it so damned pretty if you look at it through a microscope, telescope, or binocular HMD? So I guess what Slouka is saying then is that we need the humanities because people who don't like their job are more likely to join that demonstration tomorrow?
Okay, I'm being unfair because I actually agree with Slouka that the trend towards measuring and quantifying everything including success and knowledge gain is unhealthy. The process of measurement itself disturbs the process it is supposed to help - a problem we have discussed several times on this blog. Though, according to Slouka, a scientist like me should be positive about this trend towards reliance on metrics. Considering how divided the scientific community is over the use of any such measure for scientific success, Slouka doesn't seem to have bothered talking to his colleagues from the science departments.
Slouka's main point was about the American education system, and he'd done better not to overgeneralize his argument. Having grown up in Germany, I can't judge on the quality of the American education system. Clearly, you want to teach children how the society they live in works and that includes politics, history, economics as well as all aspects of human culture. Needless to say, many of these subjects are interrelated. The impression I got during my years in the USA is that many students there have little or no idea what democracy is or how it works, and even less so do they actually know what communism, socialism, and social democracy is – and what the differences. I talked to several people who actually thought consumerism is a form of democracy, and I vividly recall talking to one guy who thought Germany is socialistic. Such confusions explain a lot of nonsense I keep reading online and are certainly not helpful to informed decision making. I am not sure though how representative that impression is. Maybe the people who talk to me are just oddballs.
And isn't it ironic Slouka is bemoaning the American educations' failure to produce good citizens, since to some extend I own my school education's focus on democratic values to the Americans of the last generation? The first time some US officer said to me "I'm just following orders," I stood in shock, having be taught a million times since Kindergarten to never, ever, justify an action by referral to an order whose purpose I cannot explain and bring in line with my conscience. After several similar incidents, I thought that's just me till somebody told me about their German friend who in reply to the same remark by an US officer uttered promptly "That's what the Nazi's said." Which, even with German accent however, fell on deaf American ears. (And that hopefully explains why I give a shit about your so-called policies.)
The other day, I came across this article by Bruce Levine listing "8 Reasons Young Americans Don't Fight Back: How the US Crushed Youth Resistance" which you might like or not like, but point 3 "Schools That Educate for Compliance and Not for Democracy" is interesting in the context of Slouka's article. Levine lets us know that "Upon accepting the New York City Teacher of the Year Award on January 31, 1990, John Taylor Gatto upset many in attendance by stating: "The truth is that schools don't really teach anything except how to obey orders.""
Taken together, Slouka makes some bad points and some good points, but he makes both badly. Trying to make a case for the value of good writing, Slouka asks "Could clear writing have some relation to clear thinking?" In reply to which I want to quote Niels Bohr: "Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think."
35 comments:
Thanks for this post. It is so stimulating that I'm having a hard time organizing my thoughts in response. I read your summary and I also quickly read through the original article.
To start with, both democracy and science have this in common, that they have destroyed institutions based on an objectified myth of ultimate truth (e.g.: the Roman Catholic church/Holy Roman Empire/European monarchies before humanism) and replaced them with institutions embodying a disciplined human process designed to approach this ultimate truth (which is still presumed to exist, somehow, somewhere, whether as Utopia in politics or the objectively real symmetries of Nature in science) in a provisional, iterative, correctable way.
Because these institutions -- democratic governments, universities, the bodies of scientific peers -- are, to speak metaphorically, "standing in front of the ultimate truth," they are fatiguing and discouraging to those of the typically human fanatical bent.
In times of trouble, particularly, this fatigue makes the institutions vulnerable to capture by those with a hankering for more objectified solutions. For myths.
So, I think Slouka is spot on with respect to our increasing distaste for risk.
But I think he is terribly wrong with respect to his understanding of science and scientific institutions. In particular I think he simply seems blind to how scientists actually feel and think. As far as I can tell, it is not quantification that scientists value -- quantification is simply an extremely valuable tool to get at what they really do value, which is understanding Nature.
To my mind, although I know many poets and scientists would not agree, the wish and act to more deeply understand Nature is just as much Wisdom and oriented in the vertical direction as any department of the humanities.
Insofar as quantification has a value of its own, that is mathematics, which is a science in its own right and a kind of Nature in itself. I think it's interesting that Slouka does not directly discuss mathematics (outside of its relationship with science and technology) at all.
So, I think Slouka obscures the difference between science and technology. I think a society formed according to Slouka's fears would idolize technology and kill science. And I do think the US has gone some distance in that direction. Nor do I think the other developed countries are immune to this idolization of the economic.
Mike GoginsMaybe no one has gone to jail for espousing the wrong value of Hubble's constant, but I do remember hearing a story about a guy named Galileo who got into trouble for supporting the 'wrong' astronomical theory.
He's wrong if he thinks there are not current day examples of the same. How about stem-cell research in the US as an example?Hi Bee,
Mathematical basis as cold and austere....as well as, beautiful...you just can't seem to let go?:)
Wow....interesting thought perspectives.
Never had a chance to look at your "this and that" articles....but definitely will try and follow your thought process. So reading.....article linked.
What we unconsciously acted out, in compressed, almost haiku-like form (A philosophy store?/I will have a stand/sell pieces of Auden at two bits a beat), was the essential drama of American education today. See: Dehumanized:
When math and science rule the school
Any prospective husband having stood in a position with, and recalls the opinions of the prospective in-laws as a vital link in the relationship building understands well what Mark Slouka is saying?:)
As funny as it sounds I got this image of a badge you produced in one your blog postings came to mind made me smile.:)
Do the laws change when science understands a perspective has been changed? Does society change with them, with such new affirmative style, that it indeed knows what it's talking about?
Best,Hi Bee,
As a side note, I find the American voting system disturbing for a country which is allegedly considered the "most democratic country of the world". Here in Brazil, the absolute majority of votes elects the president and period, not a complicated system involving each state of the union.
"Following orders...", yeah, why that also reminds me the military dictatorship period in Brazil? We overcame that as well, and I guess an average Brazilian wouldn't like to hear that one, even though formal education is our most serious issue today.
ChristineFor the mathematically challenged,
"$100,000,000 - Plenty to go around for everyone. Fits nicely on an ISO/Military standard sized pallet."
Artists, entertainers, and advocates are fantasies arising from surplus. For surplus to exist, managers secular and religious must not impress circles of Hell for mathematicians, scientists, and engineers. Politics is proof by contradiction.
Totalitarian societies define and enforce the humanities. "Let a million flowers bloom" "a thousand points of light" (sqrt of despotism?). Enforce Lysenko and everybody real world starves independent of the rights and aspirations of mankind.The US system puts too much value on math and science? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Having a kid in the US system now (middle school) I can tell you I so far find it atrocious. We'll see if the higher grades are any better. There is way too little homework and what he does get is pretty dumb. I expected some math HW every day for practice; there is none.
But I can tell you there is a definite focus on all things American (geography and history) in the most ridiculous detail, while the world history or geography are decidedly on the back burner. For instance, my son will never have geography as a separate subject, WTF?
I was born and raised in Europe, and I do not like the idea of my son growing up to be what many Europeans refer to as the "st00pid American." I see how the process of making one works though and I am not sure what I can do about it, save for home-schooling him (which I am vehemently opposed to). But perhaps I should stop ranting now...http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/
Al, as I said in another thread the way you seem to be looking at our debt is the same way Robert Reich's father looked at our debt after WWII. It looked scary big. You should quit looking at it in absolute terms, especially being the smart man that you are. You should look at in terms debt to GDP.
Right now we have exported pretty much all manufacturing jobs overseas. This was helped by creating a tax structure that encouraged this. If all we did was return all the manufacturing we now do overseas to this country via a new tax structure that severely penalized corporations for doing it we would increase our GDP enormously. And we would simultaneously close the loophole that now allows megacorporations to pay little or no taxes.
Like I said before, you should never, never, never have economic policies that contract an economy while you are already in recession. To me it seems like that is what you are advocating with your scare tactics. Expanding GDP in a contracting cycle should be the priority now, NOT reducing the debt."Having grown up in Germany, I can't judge on the quality of the American education system."
... Bee
I have/am raising (2 years left) four children since 1994 in the RECENT "quality" of the American education "system" (well-named), so I can judge, and I will. And I also did attend the A.P.E.S. from 1960-1970, when my mother SAVED me but sending me to private high school. Thank you Mom, wherever you are.
The APES can best be summed up in TWO words:
It SUCKS !!!
It's all about Civics, and worship of The State over Individuals. Where have we heard that before? I believe it involved a nation whose flag had a sickle and a hammer.
I don't know where this guy says Math and Science is pushed. He must hate them, so eff him. In high school, Math and Science IS pushed, but it's too late for many,no, most. They kill the love of math here in the 4th grade, particularly. More on that later, but essentially we teach our children from pre-school to 2nd grade very very well, but starting in third grade we test them to death and essentially kill off any love of learning, for the majority, from there on out, save the exceptional and passionate.
The math-haters won. "Too hard", even though we all know it's based on logic. America has a serious problem teaching its 8-12 year olds, and by then they reach puberty, and it's too late.
Have a nice day. ;-)@Eric, "you should never, never, never have economic policies that contract an economy while you are already in recession."
Google says 43 million/305 million Americans on food stamps, 56 million on Medicaid, 50 million on Welfare. At least $1.8 trillion/year in free eats, average $18,700/year stolen from each worker for a living.
Imagine your life given $1560/month (€1090/month) more in pocket money. How can you not detect a fundamental national economic flaw there? Germany has fewer people than America has remoras. Did Frank Ghery design the US economy?
"Policy makers' confidence in those forecasts may be tempered as the course of the expansion has confounded their expectations."
Lying corrupt bastards.Steven,
"[ the A.P.E.S. ] is all about Civics, and worship of The State over Individuals."
Well, you are right to some extent. But if you step back and look at the big picture all biological entities, (cells, proteins etc) form entangled systems which interact with each other non-locally. That just seems to be the way the universe works. It is quantum interaction on large scales. It cannot be stopped.
Governments purpose is to channel the energy of those interactions so they meet constructive rather destructive ends. If you didn't like what you were taught in school it might be because they were teaching crap. Governments will form at all levels in human interactions and you can't wish it away. But you can make it better and make it less
intrusive for the largest group of people. So it is well worth studying. We are all part of a larger system and it can't be helped. All we can do is try to make it work better for all of us. That means education about it - good education.Hi Michael,
Sorry, your comment got stuck in the spam filter, not sure why. Yes, the question of institutional organization is of course central. Not only in this regard. I'd argue global politics is suffering from our lacking understanding in this point as well. Though there's actually been quite some research done on that, but I doubt much of it actually made it into reality.
In any case, I share your impression that Slouka doesn't seem to have spent much time with scientists. I am also vary of people who go around and just claim 'you can't measure this' or that. Fact is, in most cases you can measure it, and the cases where a system does indeed have observables that are not measureable I don't think are relevant here. What is usually the case is that you can measure 'it' whatever it is, once you have defined it, but it's pointless or even makes matters worse. Thing is that Slouka actually doesn't have anything to come up with why the success of humanist education can't be measured. What he says is that it's a long-term effect and one that doesn't directly impact the GDP, ie it's difficult to measure and not with currently used procedures. Which is arguably true, and I think the shortcomings of the GDP are now very well known. But of course he couldn't say it that way because it doesn't fit with his philosophy of the unmeasureable value. Best,
B.Hi Plato,
Well, there's laws for the procedures and laws for the values. I'd argue that science has something to say about the procedures, but not about the values. What I mean is that you can for example scientifically study and test how well different voting schemes or institutional organizations work towards fulfilling their purpose. Yet what that purpose is science can't tell you, neither does it fill in what's currently considered morally good or ethically allowed. Either way, democracy is an organizational process and not, as Slouka argues, a value. Just that there are many values that a democracy lives up to better than all other (known) forms of government. Best,
B.The point is, the math is not necessary for understanding of reality. On the contrary, I'm facing many situations in contemporary physics, when physicists apparently cannot realize, what their stuff is all about just because they're adhering on their blind formal approach, which is merely a numeric regression of reality. The fact, we can extrapolate some experimental points with mathematical curve doesn't mean, we understand its true nature.
Fu*ng magnets, how do they work?Hi Bee,
Taken together, Slouka makes some bad points and some good points, but he makes both badly. Trying to make a case for the value of good writing, Slouka asks "Could clear writing have some relation to clear thinking?" In reply to which I want to quote Niels Bohr: "Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think."
I find this conclusion of yours to sum up the flaw in Slouka's piece quite well, which flies in the face of his hypothesis finding scientists/mathematicians as having no interest in the humanities or an understanding of them. To the contrary, I think if Slouka would have looked into this properly he would have discovered more often than not the better the scientist the more they consider such aspects of our nature; only as able to do it more critically having as you say the necessary tools to augment their feelings, rather than give them reason for ignoring them. I do agree with him more generally that scientists of today don't take an active enough role in the actual mechanics of society and if anything deserves further scrutiny it would be this.
"Remember your humanity, and forget the rest"
-Albert Einstein & Bertrand Russell, "The Russell-Einstein Manifesto" (July 9, 1955)
PhilFreeman Dyson, Missed Opportunities, 1972: "I am acutely aware of the fact that the marriage between mathematics and physics, which was so enormously fruitful in past centuries, has recently ended in divorce."
In AWT it corresponds the perspective of the interaction of the bubble sitting at the water surface with its neighborhood via surface ripples. For small or large ripples the water surface is behaving like system of infinitely many particles, which is relatively easy to formalize with formal math, because the dispersive effects of the (hidden dimensions of) underwater can be neglected (relativity) or considered dominant (quantum theory).
But with increasing distance from the dimensional scale of the bubble the chaotic character of underwater will manifest again and the formal models will become useless because of their complexity. IMO this perspective basically corresponds the current stage of physics in its attempt for formal description of the Universe.Hi Bee,
I guess so as to give a level field here as to terminology it would be good to define Humanism
So in staying true to the article you are referencing, are you saying that regardless of the elementary derivative and recognition of let's say a algorithmic base, as if in mathematics, any association through humanistic valuation such similarities show evidence as to the nature of the qualitative value but does not recognize the moral value of this method in both assertions as to a value in democracy and as a value to a humanist? That, that hidden moral value cannot be discerned? Can be compared to uncertainty?
Have I summarized your response to me correctly?
I know some scientists are uncomfortable with the notion of paradigm changes and I know you are familiar with Thomas Kuhn.
About revolutionary changes?
Best,In some sense the decline of the state can be "such an religious affiliation" not notice before as contributory sign of the decline of that state?
Now, I am referring back to Michael's comment and the understanding of an humanist approach toward looking at politics, democracy, and this possible relation?
In some sense even without classification as to being a humanist, such decline could have also be assign toward one not steep in the humanist search for meaning of reason to prevail, but a scientists too.
So are all humanist scientists?
This over arching umbrella you might say then is a perspective that has to be understood based on what one might be saying of math and science and is not speaking to the article in written but as to the basis of argument and correlations you might perceive as a humanist?
Would this not be an approach?
Best,Hi Phil,
Yes, the role of scientists in the society is an important point, though not actually what Slouka aimed to address. It is a difficult topic. It also seems to me that it is very difficult to know what that role is today for one never really knows who and what information informed which decision. Best,
B.Hi Bee,
You're right of course that Slouka central point was not meant so much as to say that scientists are inferior today, as not being versed in the humanities, yet education in general being so as a result and to further implicate its cause as being a wilful conspiracy of commerce promoted through its leadership. However, when one seriously looks to the captions of industry today we find at the top those such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who stand to exemplify the spirit of the humanities in action, as opposed to what they represent as to being theoretically.
Therefore what I think is truly happening here being more scientists and greater numbers of these so called capitalists are more versed today in incorporating the scientific method, not to only be able to recognize the challenges and opportunities we face in the world, yet have a bases from which to attempt to have them addressed. So I would have this turned around to propose to Slouka that its time that the humanities be contextualized as be able to better relate to science, as to once again have them to become relevant respectful of our increased and ever increasing level of understanding.
PhilAmerica's "long running affair with math and science"...
as GMP said...
"The US system puts too much value on math and science? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
- I really have to agree. It is laughable.
I grew up in the United States and found myself transferring school to school because there was no decent math or science education. I was forced to re-learn place values every year until the age of 15. High schools in my area didn't even teach calculus- and this is in the shadow of a city, often considered by other parts of the US a "highly educated area" (which is a nice complement, to be sure, but far from the truth). It wasn't until reaching university that I was able to peruse science and math and get my degree in physics.
I now live and teach in South Korea and I have 11 and 12 year olds (still in primary school) who are learning basic calculus.
Additionally, many areas in the US(particularly more rural) ax or inhibit such education (math and science) altogether because it interferes with religious beliefs. This has been a large source of debate in many states. <- If anything this should be an argument in support of schools teaching compliance rather than free thinking which may perhaps encourage democracy.
As to the teaching of democracy and government in schools. We were taught very little about anything. We were taught about monarchies and taught to fear "tyrants," and to some extent (all though in my years - rather recent- this dwindled) to hate communism as though it were Satan's offspring and successor.
We were never truly taught anything about democracy. We weren't even taught that there could be more than two choices or two parties with opposing opinions! (Something I even rarely heard of in University). In terms of democracy, in schools I distinctly remember being taught (figuratively and quite directly) "We have democracy. We are the best country. Our democracy is the best. We must spread our democracy." - The democracy with little more than two parties and little compromises.
I believe the correlation between science, math, and democracy as suggested by Mark Slouka, cannot be an accurate depiction of the reason american's don't do democracy well.Phil:However, when one seriously looks to the captains of industry today we find at the top those such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who stand to exemplify the spirit of the humanities in action, as opposed to what they represent as to being theoretically.
I think one would have to agree on the basis of a "principle of humanities in action, as maybe more a personal policy, instead of classifying it as a corporate one?
Goodness, from the heart? Are there "strings" attached? A gift?
In the context of your statement, I thought of Lazaridis and the development of the PI Institute?
While there were many intricacies on developing the rode toward education, direction of research, in an ideal environment and setting, this has "no corporate and no humanitarian strategy?":)At least by definition education is free from such intonations?
At least as I read it, Howard Burton had a free reign here?
If you are to concur that the strategy was indeed a corporate one, then the design and structure of this school and it students are a direct result of of a humanitarian effort? The definition of humanitarian is confusing here for me.
The Chicago school of Economics?
For some reason I see "First Principles" as providing a lot of discussion around this question.
Was the idea of contribution to education "cold and calculating?" Let's look at the math? Hence, such an institution an example of what is espoused as theoretical.
Would this example provide for such a discussion?
Best,There have been 7 Nobel prize winners from the Bronx (high) School of Science, alone, including Hugh David Politzer. We have some excellent schools, most of them private.
Here in the northeast USA, where NASCAR is non-existent, the public schools are generally good. They don't beat you over the head with Jesus, and there is NO debate re "Creationism." I can't remember having a bad or even mediocre Science or Math teacher, and I went to 8-1/2 years of public "education" followed by 4 years of Catolic high school.Hi Kay,
It doesn't seem to me like the issue is actually with the schools, but with the curriculum. In public schools, teachers cannot freely decide what they teach. I don't know how it is with private schools. In fact, the teachers are often the first to complain about everything that's cut and dropped. Slouka's article also doesn't seem to be aimed at the educators themselves, most of who I guess are very sympathetic to his attitude, but he's complaining about the (business oriented) governance of the educational system.
The schools themselves can rarely make it much better, but they can certainly make it much worse. I for example never had geography in school either (since somebody mentioned it above) because no teacher was available when it was supposed to start, and then it was somehow forgotten. Best,
B.Hi Plato,
Generally I think to attempt to draw lines between functions, works or creations of human kind to deem any as not being aspects of humanity is illogical, naive and yet worst of all arrogant. That is all such things reveal truths about our natures related to actions respective of potential. So as far as I'm concerned it comes down to being as simple as what Socrates held as to be true, being of first importance is to "know thyself" as "the unexamined life is not worth living".
So whether this being through the study of art, writing, philosophy, mathematics, science, politics, economics or commerce, all have an undeniable commonality as being aspects of human endeavour, both as exploring and expressing our natures respective of our potential. The only thing we can't be certain of is with ever having finally understood ourselves respective of potential will reveal us having the ability to choose to suppress any we find not to like to have nurtured those that we do.
PhilIn Brazil the educational public system is horrible, with very, very few exceptions. There are some excellent, expensive, private schools, though. I studied in one of those from 5 years old to 16 years old (high school), luckly, my mother was able to get a grant for me, otherwise she wouldn't be able to pay it for me. We had geography as a separate discipline since elementary school, the same with my son, who also studies in a private school. Math, science, physics, biology, etc, all included in the curriculum. Funny because many people here have problems with Portuguese, a difficult discipline... :) Recently, philosophy has been included in the curriculum, my 12 yo son is learning about Socrates, Plato, etc, something I didn't.
Medium class people in Brazil do not put their kids in public schools, they do all sacrifice to pay for private schools. This is unfortunate, as we pay high taxes that should convert in excellent public schools. This is not the case (yet?)...
ChristineHi Phil,
Thanks for responding. I was thinking of the classifications people give their schools, and I agree it is arrogant of people to assign any definition to the higher purpose of education other then to expect students can be given tools and information with which will help our youth/ourselves to make the decisions about life, their life. What the student wants to do.
The comparison of Slouka to me was about the "coldness of math" in relation to what a humanist is(devoid of those things and what they stand for,) is as much "an opinion about life" as it is about the classification one may try to assign the way the educational system should be according to Slouka.
As a philanthropist, "a gift" is a great thing one can extend from oneself. But there are no further strings attached to that education.
Yet there are indeed technical schools schools that are specific to education. Those, are not what I am talking about in relation to what I see Slouka as saying.
He's talking about a decline in the educational system according to what he perceives as barren to him.
Does the aspiration of the student change, of course not. They are there to learn. Do we change when information is made available?
It is making viable all those disparate pieces of information and a hopeful ignition of a potential. Any of us can find this happening within ourselves.
Our world changes then.
Knowing ourselves is always a work in process, and understanding "why" we can sometimes react the way we do.
Best,I have a hard time with the underlying premise that math and science are somehow overweight in US schools. Most kids take, at least thru grade 10, one math class and one science class. After that things can split between college/noncollege tracks. But that does leave at least 4 or 5 other classes plus gym for 'humanities'
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Normally when I make eggplant parmesan or melanzane alla parmigiana I keep it nice and simple with nice thick slices of eggplant that are either roasted or fried and then baked in a marinara sauce and topped with melted cheese. Recently I have come across several layered lasagna like versions of eggplant parmesan and despite the extra effort involved I knew that I would have to try making one and I got the chance to on the weekend. Roasted eggplant is really good and I often roast eggplant when a recipe calls for frying it to keep it a bit lighter. This time however, I wanted to go for the full on crispy breadcrumb coated version. Other than layering this eggplant parmesan the recipe is pretty much the same as my normal version, though this time I went with a kalamata olive marinara sauce to pack in even more flavour. The lasagna like layered eggplant parmesan took a bit more time to make but it was worth it! I quite enjoyed the layers of crispy coated eggplant with melted cheese and tasty marinara. Though I will likely continue to make the simpler version more often, I will definitely be making this version again!
Eggplant Parmesan
- 2 large eggplants (optionally peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick lengthwise)
- salt
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- oil for frying
- 3 cups marinara sauce (I used a kalamata olive marinara)
- 1 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
- 3 cups mozzarella (grated or sliced)
- Salt the eggplant and let it sit in a colander for 20-30 minutes then rise it and pat it dry.
- Season the eggplant with salt and pepper, dredge it in flour, dip it in egg and dredge it in the bread crumbs.
- Fry the eggplant in the oil until it is golden brown on both sides and then let them drain on paper towels.
- Spread some of the marinara on the bottom of your baking dish followed by a layer of eggplant, some marinara, some parmigiano reggiano and mozzarella and continue to layer until you end up with cheese at the top.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
Eggplant Parmesan (Melanzane alla Parmigiana)
Fried Green Tomato Parmesan
Eggplant and Mozzarella Panini
Fried Eggplant and Mozzarella with a Roasted Marinara Dipping Sauce
Eggplant Tortino in a Kalamata Olive Marinara Sauce
Crispy Baked Eggplant Fries with Marinara Dipping Sauce (aka Eggplant Parmesan Fries!)


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A cavalcade of McCourtian posts hit TMZ in the last couple of hours.
First, Jamie wants her job back, or at least all the perks that come with it:
Here are the benefits Jamie is requesting:
- travel by private jet
- 5 star hotel accommodations
- travel expenses - Unlimited
- business dinners 5 nights per week
- business lunches 5 days per week
- parking spots at Dodger Stadium
- flowers in the office
- making Dodger Legends available for events without charge
- provision of Dodger autographed items as requested for use in business and charitable activities
- hair and makeup for Dodger events
- access to team doctors for McCourt family members
- access to the owner's suite for Dodger home games and non-baseball events at the stadium
- Tickets to All-Star games and playoff games -- even if the Dodgers aren't playing
- a pass to all National League games
Total living expenses for Jamie come out to about $6M / year, of which roughly $4M goes to the homes. And, elsewhere in the court filings, she wants access to the Charing Cross Road indoor pool (who doesn't?). And, she cites the sudden termination of her position as Dodgers CEO, and current unemployed state, as part of the rationale why she merits pendente lite (which I thought meant "pasta cooked firm but not hard," but apparently means "pending the litigation") support (an interesting twist on Frank's firing).
Reading through the rest of the court filings yields a number of juicy tidbits. In the document, the sections on Jamie's "integral role with the Dodgers" seems pretty compelling; it's clear that she wasn't just the owners wife, if she did all the things that she cites. I don't know how the Dodger Stadium 90090 zipcode hoo-hah made the list of "accomplishments," but even that notwithstanding, there are a lot of other tangible items on there besides a irrelevant marketing deal with the USPS.
On the scary side, the section "Frank Begins to Rewrite History..." has some scary allegations that admits the McCourts are "highly leveraged", and the move to transfer ownership to Frank reflected a move to California ("a community property state") and an attempt to shield assets from the McCourts' many creditors. Or, as Jamie contends, was this an attempt to transfer property ownership solely to Frank?
Jamie claims that she had been trying to keep plans to file for divorce secret until after the 2009 postseason, despite the fact that the last four months of her tenure as CEO "were very difficult." Looking back on how Frank asked Jamie to move her business office out of Dodger Stadium, that she had to get his approval for expense reimbursements of any sort, that she had to review all appointments including social engagements to Frank--it is hard to see how Jamie could have performed her job as CEO with all of this oversight.
In fact, one wonders how the team could have even kept focused with this circus going on behind the scenes (and in fact, the Dodgers did end up the season limping to the finish line; Peter Gammons in fact tipped this off in mid-October when he said Joe Torre's life was "a living hell").
How much did Jamie McCourt get paid to be the Dodgers CEO? The court filings indicate it was around $2M/year, though Frank would get $5-6M a year in salary or distributions. When you think about all the living expenses that both McCourts pushed through the business (potentially including all first-class airtravel, eight people to work on and in the McCourts' myriad homes, $5000/night hotel rooms around the world, a skin doctor and monthly hair colorer for Jamie, membership in no fewer than seven country clubs, and three 24-hour security officers (down from eight)), that's a pretty lavish lifestyle indeed.
Finally, Jamie McCourt claims "she's not giving up the Dodgers," and "the real Frank will be exposed" (sort of sounds like O.J. Simpson's chase for "the real killers").
Please, Jamie, don't expose the real Frank. I don't even know if I like the unexposed one we've got now.


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"Sugar is so harmful that it should be controlled and taxed in the same way as tobacco and alcohol," according to health experts quoted in today's Daily Express. The researchers say that sugar indirectly contributes to 35 million deaths a year worldwide.
The news is based on a comment article by US health scientists, who argue that there has been a massive rise in diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes since we began eating more sugar contained in processed food. The researchers argue that many of the health effects of excess sugar consumption are similar to those of alcohol, and that sugar should, therefore, be controlled and taxed in a similar way. They advocate introducing a tax on processed foods with added sugar, limiting sales during school hours and placing age limits on purchase. Interestingly, the authors rate sugar as more dangerous to health than saturated fat and salt, which they call dietary "bogeymen".
It is important to highlight that the researchers' article is a comment piece and, therefore, primarily reflects their views and opinions, rather than presenting direct research on the issue. While it is certainly an interesting concept, there is still a lack of evidence supporting the effectiveness of such measures and, crucially, whether the public would actually accept them.
The article was written by researchers from the University of California. There is no information about any external funding. It was published in the comment section of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature.
The article was covered fairly by the papers, many of which included comments from UK experts including the UK Food and Drink Federation, which represents food manufacturers. The BBC also quoted an expert from the British Heart Foundation, who reportedly said that taxing salt and fat alongside sugar should also be considered.
This was a comment piece in which experts discuss the global burden of general chronic disease related to sugar consumption and the need to regulate certain dietary items. In particular, the authors draw parallels between the health effects of sugar and the use of alcohol and tobacco, arguing that sugar should be regulated in a similar manner.
It is important to highlight that this was a comment piece only and, as such, it primarily reflects the views and opinions of the authors. A formal systematic review of the literature does not appear to have been conducted and, as such, it is not certain whether all relevant evidence and resources related to sugar consumption and its health effects will have been consulted.
Also, the short piece looks at the issue from a global perspective and, therefore, is not a direct commentary on sugar consumption in the UK. In fact, a map showing average added sugar consumption per day across different nations shows that people in the UK consume a relatively low amount of sugar, at least compared with the rest of the world. Much of the article's content may be focused on policies suited to the US, which has by far the greatest per-head sugar consumption, at more than 600 calories worth of sugar per day.
The article points out that, for the first time in human history, non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, pose a greater health burden worldwide than infectious disease. While alcohol, tobacco and diet are all targeted as risk factors for these diseases by policymakers, only the first two – alcohol and cigarettes – are regulated by governments to protect public health. (Although, as the report points out, Denmark taxes food high in saturated fats and is now considering taxing added sugar.) The authors argue that fat and salt have become the current "dietary bogeymen" in the US and Europe, but that most doctors no longer believe that fat is the "primary culprit" of such disease. Doctors are apparently calling for attention to be turned towards the dangers of excess sugar consumption.
The authors estimate that over the past 50 years sugar consumption has tripled worldwide, mainly as a result of it being added to cheap processed foods. While excess sugar is thought to be a key cause of the obesity epidemic, they argue that obesity itself is not the root cause of disease but that its presence is a marker for metabolic damage. This, they say, could explain why 40% of those with metabolic syndrome (a collection of the key metabolic changes that lead to heart disease and diabetes) are not obese.
The authors say that although sugar is described as "empty calories", a growing body of evidence suggests that fructose (one component of table sugar) can trigger processes that lead to liver toxicity and a host of other chronic diseases. "A little is not a problem but a lot kills – slowly," they say.
The authors argue that sugar meets all the four criteria used by health policy makers to justify the regulation of alcohol. These are:
While the authors accept that sugar is "natural" and a "pleasure", they argue that, like alcohol, too much of a good thing is toxic. Strategies to reduce consumption of alcohol and tobacco show that government controls, such as taxation and imposing age limits, work better than educating people. They make several proposals for controlling sugar, including:
Finally, they argue that regulating sugar will not be easy, but it can be done with enough pressure for change, citing bans on smoking in public places as an example of what can be achieved.
This article will be of interest to food scientists, health policy makers and the public alike, but the use of strategies to restrict the consumption of added sugar is complicated and, indeed, controversial. The implications of such moves would need to be considered in both medical and societal terms. They would need both medical evidence to support their effectiveness and assurance that the public would accept drastic changes, such as age limits on buying sweets. For example, in recent years, Denmark has imposed taxes on fatty foods, a move that has divided opinions greatly.
It is generally accepted that excessive sugar consumption is bad for health and dietitians advise restricting sugar intake to the occasional "treat". However, to what extent sugar is directly to blame for the rise in chronic disease and how much is due to other dietary components, such as saturated fat and salt, is open to debate. The current article does not appear to be a formal systematic review of the literature, and it is not certain whether all relevant evidence and resources related to sugar consumption and its health effects have been consulted. As such, it should be considered primarily to reflect the views and opinions of the authors.
In the UK at present, policymakers generally favour encouraging healthier eating through education and the provision of healthier options. This is carried out through public health campaigns such as 5 A DAY or by introducing new food ranges to schools. Whether this approach alone is adequate and whether healthier eating patterns should be encouraged by government regulation, is a crucial area of debate.


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7 Nights | 11 NT Quito Galapagos Inner Loop
About Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
You will visit the following 10 places:
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory on the south coast of Spain known for the Rock of Gibraltar (a major landmark of the region), a 426m limestone ridge at its centre. It is a very unique place for the curious traveller. You can take the time to explore the caves and tunnels. The inside of the rock is an absolute labyrinth with secret internal roads and tunnels four times longer than those on the surface. Military presence and security in this otherwise deserted area is strong but almost invisible. Also, at the Apes' Den (Queen's Gate) and in the area of the Great Siege Tunnels there is the rare opportunity to see semi-wild primates at close quarters. If you let them, the monkeys will be their captivating selves and behave in their everyday natural manner.
Ecuador is a country in Northwestern South America, with a Pacific Ocean coastline, lying on the Equator between Colombia, to the northeast, and Peru. Spanish is the official language and is spoken by a majority of the population, though thirteen Amerindian languages are also recognized, including Quichua and Shuar. The capital city is Quito, while the largest city is Guayaquil. In reflection of the country's rich cultural heritage, the historical center of Quito was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Ecuador has a developing economy that is highly dependent on commodities, namely petroleum and agricultural products. The country is classified as a medium-income country. Ecuador's economy is the eighth largest in Latin America and experienced an average growth of 4.6% between 2000 and 2006. The country was able to maintain relatively superior growth during the crisis. The country also has potential for the industry in a variety of sectors, including domestic production of raw materials and manufactured textiles, mining, chemical, petrochemical, and oil refinement. Power generation is also a potential sector that is starting to be developed due to Ecuador's high water potential in various sectors of the country; the development of products based on the melting or glass materials, production and agro-processed foods, and pharmaceutical production, among others. The most relevant project currently under development is the Pacific refinery, located in Manta, which will be one of the largest in the region.
San Salvador
The City of San Salvador is the capital and largest city of the nation of El Salvador. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador, The City of the Great Holy Savior. It lies upon a seismic valley in the tropics, surrounded with volcanos and prone to earthquakes, which is why the Pipil and the Spaniards called the area in which the metropolis is now settled in "El Valle de las Hamacas" (The Valley of the Hammocks) due to its constant seismic activity. The city has a long history, with origins dating back to the Spanish conquest of the Pipil tribes. San Salvador has been the host city for various regional and international sporting, political, and social events.
Puerto Ayora
San Cristobal
Santa Cruz
San Salvador Isla
Galapagos Province
Galápagos is a province of Ecuador in the country's Insular region, located approximately 1,000 km (620 mi) off the western coast of the mainland. The capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The province administers the Galápagos Islands, a group of tiny volcanic islands that sit on the equator. The Galápagos Islands have for centuries captured the interest of people from all over the globe because of its unique biodiversity that was made famous by Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution.


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Water Testing Specialists Darien CT.


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Watch These Great Moments in Foul-Ball Catches — Daily Distraction
[onescreen item="5062499"]
Baseball season is upon us, and the main goal of many fans who attend games is to catch a foul ball.
Almost every time, though, it doesn't work out. There are only so many foul balls hit per game and up to 50,000 people are there also trying to catch foul balls, so your odds are pretty thin. But sometimes something special happens. And if what we see in these clips is true, apparently the key to catching a foul ball is to be holding a toddler in your arms. Which may seem dangerous, but hey, foul ball!
The Daily Distraction is your Internet break from reality. Whether you're eating lunch at your desk or avoiding high school exes on Facebook, you might just laugh, say "aaahhh" or not believe what you just watched.


text: Space | 05. June 2013 | posted by Jan Wörner The 'European' Pandora's Box Unfortunately, the debate regarding the relationship between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Union (EU) continues, although the essential aspects have been clarified and the integration of ESA into the EU is off the table – not just for legal reasons. The myth of Pandora's Box tells the story of how Zeus gave Pandora a box with the instruction that it should be passed on to other people, but never be opened. However, Pandora opened the box, from which vices and bad habits escaped … This discussion began with the probably well-intentioned proposal of integrating ESA into the EU, thereby creating an even stronger European space agency. However, this plan has, after analysis of the disadvantages that would have arisen from such an integration, been removed from the table. Now, rather than implementing the pragmatic approach of establishing goal-oriented relations between the European Union or respectively the European Commission (EC) and ESA, new demands (bad habits) and measures (vices) are being brought forward. In a recent paper, the European Commission insists on unfettered access to ESA bodies and, at the same time, 'regrets' that unfortunately reciprocity is, for legal reasons, not possible. What is worse, individual statements from ESA Member States have had essential parts removed, and are being put forward as support. At a meeting, ESA clarified that participation in ESA bodies should be limited to those bodies and agenda items for which the EU provides significant financial contributions. As an aside, ESA and the EU both receive their contributions from European taxpayers, and for this reason they have to manage these with utmost care! This interaction between ESA and the EU is essentially already a reality; the European Commission is even present in the ESA Council for relevant discussions. The situation with regard to the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is even more complicated; an entity that was initially created solely to control activities relating to the European satellite navigation system, Galileo. Now, according to a senior employee of the European Commission, GSA should become the space agency of the Commission. Such duplication must be strongly opposed, even if only for financial reasons. A convincing, although disruptive solution to this problem lies in the transfer of the GSA to a special facility within ESA. With such a step, the resolution of the ESA Council at Ministerial Level held in November 2012 in Naples would be implemented, in particular by ensuring specific aspects of the control of the Galileo activities, while at the same time allowing maximum efficiency. An expected opposition, based on legal constraints, cannot prevent good solutions from being implemented, because man can change what he has created. Incidentally, Pandora's Box was opened for a second time, and in it was the hope of seeing the light of day once again … Image: European flags in front of the European Astronaut Center (EAC) on the premises of DLR Cologne. Credit: ESA, S. Corvaja.


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Dear Lifehacker,
I read about why working from a coffee shop can be good for you, but not every coffee shop—or coffee shop customer—welcomes someone with a laptop who just wants to sit next to the window and do some work, even if they're buying drinks and paying all day. How can I find a coffee shop with plentiful Wi-Fi and power outlets, where the business and the customers appreciate my presence?
Caffeinated Worker
Dear Caffeinated Worker,
We've encountered many more coffee shops that are more than happy to have a paying customer in their seat all day than someone who just grabs a cup, sneers at everyone with their laptops, and then leaves, so don't worry too much about the customers. Still, some coffee shops are better for working than others, and some coffee shops have fewer of those annoying patrons than others. Here's how to find the ones that are most conducive to work, and will appreciate you sticking around multiple cups of coffee and sandwiches all day.
Differentiate Between "Coffee Shop" and "Cafe"
One thing I learned living in Europe when I was younger was that not everywhere in the world has the same get in/get your stuff/get out culture that many places here in the United States have. Some of it comes from the fact that we're all busy people, some of it comes from restaurants with high rent to pay looking to make the most money off of every seat they have, so churning them over is the best way to do it. Still, it's not too hard to find someplace that's more than happy to let you sit back and enjoy your time there as opposed to rush you out as soon as possible. The first thing you need to do is differentiate between those kind of "table churning" places and actual cafes that appreciate their customers—not just their business. Photo by Charleston's TheDigitel.
Wherever you go though, you should follow some basic rules of etiquette when working in a coffee shop, like buying drinks and food every few hours, tipping well, resisting the urge to spread all of your stuff out over multiple seats, and using headphones when you need to listen to audio. Taking your phone calls outdoors instead of chatting loudly around other customers is a big one too. Being kind and courteous to everyone around you goes a long way towards creating a better environment for others working or just relaxing and enjoying a cup of coffee, and pushes off the criticism of the "go home and work" crowd.
Avoid Chains Unless You Find a Good Location
It's tempting to just set up shop in your local Starbucks or Panera: they usually have plenty of outlets, comfortable seating, and some of them may even be large enough that you won't be in anyone's way (and no one will be in yours,) but unless you find a specifically awesome one, avoid them. Chain coffee shops and cafes tend to be the kind of "table churn" places that want you out as soon as possible so they can get someone else into the seat. For example, these are the places that limit their Wi-Fi use to a half-hour, or only have a few outlets in the back. Essentially, unless you find a location that's particularly well known as welcome to people with laptops, the clock starts ticking as soon as you get your order. Photo by Mark Warner.
Of course, your mileage may vary: some locations, even chains, would rather have one customer buying multiple drinks and dishes over the course of a few hours than one who just pops in for a cup of drip and then leaves. If you know of one, or a particularly large location where you can blend in easily, go for it. Still, there are better options out there.
Expand Your Search Beyond Coffee Shops
Some of the best locations in my town for people looking to kick back with their laptop, do a little work or get some writing done, and enjoy a few cups of coffee or a sandwich aren't coffee shops at all, specifically. Hit Yelp or Google Maps and expand your search beyond "coffee shops" and look for restaurants, bookstores, and cafes. For example, one of my favorite DC places to sit down with a laptop is a place called Busboys and Poets, which is part restaurant, part bookstore, and part coffee shop. There are plenty of comfortable couches and lounge areas (free Wi-Fi and plentiful power outlets, too!) as well as dining tables, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting for people looking to grab a meal or sit down for a few hours with their laptop open and a few cups of coffee. Photo by Daniel Lobo.
Some of the best places to sit down with a laptop and clean out your inbox or put on headphones while you grade papers are the type you'd never guess from their name alone. I've visited several restaurants with bars, tables, lounge spaces, couches, outlets to share, and free Wi-Fi that are designed to accommodate all types of patrons. Look for restaurants with lounge spaces and Wi-Fi, and have that kind of healthy buzz that's good for your creativity. I could name a half-dozen in my area that aren't coffee shops, but restaurants that also have the seating, space, outlets, and accommodations for someone who wants to stay for several hours. Plus, at places like these you're less likely to run into someone irritated they can't get a table because someone else is there with a laptop or is reading a book.
That's not to say you should leave coffeehouses out of the picture. Many, especially independent locations, are more than happy to have you around. Look for independently owned shops in your community that are highly regarded, and check if they have free Wi-Fi. It's not a universal signal that you'd be welcome for a while, but it's a good first step. Read the reviews to see if others describe it as a good place to relax for a while. If the location has the seating, the outlets, and the Wi-Fi, they may be more than happy to welcome you. Photo by Antony Mayfield.
Drop In for a Cup and Scope the Place Out
Sometimes the best way to tell what the atmosphere is like is to go check it out. Stop by for a cup of coffee and see what the place looks like before you decide to work there one day. Grab a bite to eat and sit down for a while, just to see how the traffic in and out of the place is. You'll be able to tell pretty quickly if it's a turnover place or a destination for people who want to stay a while and relax. You'll also be able to tell whether there's power, space for your laptop, Wi-Fi, or signal for your 3G/4G modem or phone. Most importantly, you'll be able to tell if the location is frequented by or run by people who would rather you be in and out or the type who won't mind either way. You can test the atmosphere and the menu all at the same time. If you've stumbled on something great, come back with your laptop next time.
Call and Ask. Seriously!
Sometimes the direct approach is the best. Just call up the location one afternoon and ask the manager whether they're okay with people sticking around for a few hours and getting some work done, or if they get a lot of people on their laptops around here. Few places will outright tell you no and most will be noncommittal in their answers, but you'll know the great ones when the staff or manager go out of their way to tell you how plenty of people come in to work a while, or to enjoy the free Wi-Fi. Ask about whether there are time limits on their Wi-Fi, and whether there's a place to plug in your laptop. You'll really know you've stumbled on a great place if—as happened to me once—a manager responds to your question by offering you their "buy five drinks get one free" card, or says "we have tons of outlets, come on over!" Some businesses still value repeat, dedicated customers, and if you make it clear that's the type of person you want to be, you'll usually be welcome. Photo by David Goehring.
Use Word of Mouth
Look for coffee shops and cafes near coworking centers. Coworking centers are great options for remote workers, but they're still office environments. Sometimes you might catch the people who normally work at a coworking center at the coffee shop, bar, or cafe down the street getting away from the fuss at the office. Similarly, if you work in an office, ask your coworkers if they camp out at coffee shops from time to time, and see if they have a favorite venue with great atmosphere. Great coffee and good food don't hurt either.
Finding a place to camp out with your laptop for a few hours isn't hard—it's finding a place that's warm and inviting that's the tricky part. You may have never had a bad experience in your local chain coffee spot, and if that's the case, enjoy it! If you're looking for a new place, or one where there are more people like you than sneering at you for taking up space, look for independent coffeehouses, restaurants, bookstores with coffee shops or cafes attached, or lounges that cater to the connected crowd with free wi-fi and individual booths or tables.
Essentially, look for places where people like you congregate. There are probably more in your community than you might realize, and once you find one, you'll be much happier. Once you're there, remember our tips on how to stay productive and our guide to coffee shop etiquette, and you'll fit right in.
Good luck,
Title image made using carlo dapino (Shutterstock).


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Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani fame Anjali Anand stuns in a red dress at Manish Malhotra's Bun Tikki wrap up party
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Tiger Shroff's evolution from action hero to versatile performer is remarkable
When Jaya Bachchan said, "Amit did not force me to quit films"
Cinematographer Gangu Ramsay of The Ramsay Brothers dies at 83
Jaya Prada: "Though I belong to South India, I have never felt like a South Indian because…"
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From Shah Rukh Khan to Siddhant Chaturvedi: Actors who stole the show even with their small roles
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Did Abhishek Kumar slap Samarth Jurel amid the race for captaincy on Bigg Boss 17?
Tensions flare as nominations trigger explosive reactions on Bigg Boss tonight
Sandeep Singh's Safed starring Meera Chopra banned in certain countries
The court is in session on Bigg Boss tonight: Scandalous allegations against Munawar Faruqui take centre stage
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's Girls Will Be Girls bags two major awards at Sundance Film Festival
Do You Know whose bizarre rough-rasp voice inspired legendary RD Burman to sing chartbuster song 'Duniya Mein Logon Ko'?
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Poster revealed of The Purvanchal Files; film to release in cinemas on September 22
Actor Adarsh Gourav bags his next major Hollywood project, to Star in Ridley Scott's Highly Anticipated Alien Prequel Series
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Munawar reveals his surprising link to Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots
Arbaaz Khan and Raveena Tandon celebrate the success of film Patna Shuklla; see photos
Autism month: Sanya Malhotra attends the opening of a special school dedicated to neurodivergent individuals
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Soniya Bansal raises temperature with her latest look inspired by Kareena Kapoor's from Asoka
Actress Parul Yadav has a 'ball of a time' playing Holi; see pics
Champagne white gown to ruffled mini dress: 5 times Sunny Leone made style statements for Splitsvilla X5
Jasmin Bhasin is celebrating a cosy birthday in Goa
Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday – who looks best with Kartik Aaryan?
Taimur Ali Khan or Emiway – who pulled off the printed kurta look better? View Pics
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Arjun Kapoor – Malaika Arora or Farhan Akhtar – Shibani Dandekar – which jodi looks hotter together?
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Easter dinner isn't generally the sort of meal we try to rush. The whole point is to savour the meal, not sprint through it the way we do most weeknights.
But that doesn't mean we don't appreciate the easy, time-saving trick here and there. In this case, I've applied the same technique to both the appetizer and the dessert. It's an approach that frees me up to focus on the rest of the meal — the all-important glazed ham, the roasted vegetables, perhaps a cocktail (or three).
The trick begins with purchased frozen phyllo pastry cups (also called "fillo shells"). You'll find them in the grocer's freezer section alongside the puff pastry (and often near the frozen fruit). These tiny cups (each holds about 1 tablespoon or so of fillings and they usually come 15 to a box) come fully cooked and thaw in minutes. All you need to do is fill them and eat them (though you may need to bake them depending on your filling).
For the appetizer, we don't even need a recipe. All I do is transform the classic Easter quiche into bite-size treats.
To do this, heat the oven to 400 F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then arrange the phyllo cups on it. Fill each cup with a small amount (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) of fillings. Chopped cooked meats, chopped vegetables and shredded cheese are great choices.
In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk 1 egg, a splash of water, milk or cream, and a bit of salt and pepper. Carefully pour about 1 teaspoon of the egg mixture over the fillings in each cup. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the egg is puffed and the fillings are lightly browned. That's it. The quiche cups can be served warm or room temperature.
For the dessert, I went with a ridiculously easy and delicious no-cook option — creamy lemon-berry tartlets. These are so simple you even could delegate this part of the meal to the kids.
Assuming these tartlets won't be consumed immediately, you don't even need to let them thaw before filling them. Just proceed with the recipe and by the time they are eaten they will be perfect. You'll usually find jarred lemon curd in with the jams and jellies.
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Makes 15 tartlets
1/2 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons purchased lemon curd
Pinch cinnamon
15 frozen baked phyllo cups
1 cup fresh berries
Powdered sugar, to sprinkle
In a small bowl, whisk together the creme fraiche, lemon curd and cinnamon until slightly thickened. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the mixture into each phyllo cup. The filling should be lightly mounded in the cups, but not overflowing.
Top each cup with several berries, then arrange the cups on a serving platter. Spoon powdered sugar into a mesh strainer, then hold it over the filled cups and gently tap to dust with sugar.
Nutrition information per serving: 50 calories; 35 calories from fat (70 per cent of total calories); 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 1 g protein; 25 mg sodium.
J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs at http://www.LunchBoxBlues.com and tweets at http://twitter.com/JM_Hirsch


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Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) - From a hometown of 26,000 people to an adopted home borough of 2.6 million, Miss America's story includes a journey from a small town to the big city _ but it doesn't start there.
Mallory Hagan, 23, moved from Alabama to New York City as soon as she became a legal adult, and though she says she left because "I needed to find myself," it turns out she knew who she wanted to be all along.
"When Mallory was like 13 years old she was sitting on my deck and said, `Miss Tina, my goal is one day I'd like to grow up to be Miss America,'" said Tina Gunnels, a neighbor from Opelika, Ala., on Sunday. "She accomplished that goal."
Hagan took the crown Saturday night after tap dancing to a James Brown tune, deftly answering a question about gun violence in schools and raising the issue of child sexual abuse in her contestant platform.
"I genuinely understand the hardships the average woman faces," having gone to school and working full time before winning Miss New York and clinching the Miss America crown, Hagan said in an appearance Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America."
"I understand what it's like to do all these things day-to-day and still maintain a healthy lifestyle," she added.
Hagan, who resides in New York's most-populous borough of Brooklyn, said after her victory that she was sure someone else would take the top prize, even after she made it to the final two contestants.
She said she was standing on the stage thinking, "They're going to get another first runner-up photo of me."
Her father was not nearly so modest.
"We're super excited, super exhilarated, super proud of her," Phil Hagan said in an interview with The Associated Press backstage immediately after his daughter's victory. "We're not extremely surprised, either."
Mallory Hagan, however, has been competing on the pageant circuit for a decade and nearly aged out of the system without ever having won at a state or national level.
The Miss America competition accepts contestants between the ages of 17 and 24.
Hagan says she moved to New York on her own at 18 years old with less than $1,000 in her pocket. She tried for the Miss New York title in 2010 and 2011 before winning last year.
The transition wasn't always easy.
"The struggle was vast," she said. "There were days when I had five bucks in my pocket. And I would push that $5" between subway fare and meal money.
But the decision was one she felt compelled to make.
"I just knew that the energy of NYC was something that I really loved," she told the AP after her victory. "I was always a little more liberal-thinking than my hometown. And I just knew that I needed to get out for a little bit, and I needed to find myself."
Hagan said it was her mother who encouraged her to address the problem of child sex abuse, which had "rippled through" her family.
Hagan's mother, Mandy Moore, was overcome with emotion and wiped tears away as she spoke.
"It's very overwhelming," she said. "It's all hitting me so fast."
Hagan said she will work to make education to prevent child abuse mandatory in all 50 states.
"What's wonderful about the Miss America organization, it's so education oriented. So it's my job this year to educate and advocate" on the issue of child sexual abuse, Hagan said on GMA.
Also working against Hagan was her final question, should schools hire armed guards in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shooting.
Conventional wisdom holds that contestants who receive questions about contentious topics are less likely to win. But Hagan said she didn't panic.
"I'm not sure that it came out as eloquently as I would have liked it to, but my views remain the same: It's never OK to fight violence with violence."
She also said she was looking forward to traveling as a Miss America.
"I haven't traveled a whole lot outside the U.S., outside my one trip to Africa this summer," Hagan said.
With crown, she receives a $50,000 college scholarship and a year as an instant celebrity and role model. She defeated Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers, who took second, and Miss Oklahoma Alicia Clifton, who finished third.
Hagan has always been "very independent," said Gunnels, who describes herself as a "neighborhood mom" in the old railroad town near Auburn University.
"I think she willed this to happen," said Gunnels. "She's just that determined. Who would have that that a girl from Opelika, Alabama, would ever do that?"
Moore is based in Phoenix. Jay Reeves contributed from Birmingham, Ala., and Deepti Hajela from New York City.
Hannah Dreier can be reached at http://twitter.com/hannahdreier
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Chapter 23
Jesus approves the words of Isaiah—He commands the people to search the prophets—The words of Samuel the Lamanite concerning the Resurrection are added to their records. About A.D. 34.
1 And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to asearch these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of bIsaiah.
2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; atherefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.
3 And all things that he spake have been and ashall be, even according to the words which he spake.
4 Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father athey shall go forth unto the Gentiles.
5 And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the aprophets, for many there be that testify of these things.
6 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not.
7 And it came to pass that he said unto aNephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.
8 And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:
9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant aSamuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were bmany csaints who should darise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?
10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.
11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not awritten this thing, that many bsaints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?
12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.
13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be awritten; therefore it was written according as he commanded.
14 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had aexpounded all the scriptures in one, which they had written, he commanded them that they should bteach the things which he had expounded unto them.


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Our journey to create the future of health care can only succeed by partnering with forward-thinking organizations and people around the world who share the same vision. With our partners, we look beyond technology to the perspectives of the people at the heart health care, and co-create opportunities to transform the way care is experienced and delivered. Read more about our strategic alliances with leading healthcare innovators
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NEW YORK – Providence was ranked the best foodie city in Travel + Leisure Magazine's "America's Favorite Cities" poll that ranks the vacation-worthiness of 35 cities from across the United States.
Providence came in first for Food/Drink/Restaurants, just ahead of New York, New Orleans, Chicago and Portland, Ore.
"Providence's national reputation as a culinary powerhouse is a cornerstone of our marketing efforts," said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, in a statement. "The depth and breadth of our culinary offerings is phenomenal, and we are fortunate to have so many talented people in our city."
"Travel + Leisure confirmed what we already know: Providence has the best restaurants and the best food in America," said Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. "Our restaurants, cafes, bars and food trucks are vital parts of our creative economy and make Providence a more attractive city for students, professionals and innovative industries."
But visitors may find it difficult to drive to those culinary hot spots, as Providence also ranked 26th for driving ability and a less-than-welcome mat as residents ranked their city 25th for residential pride.
The city ranked in the top 10 in all food-related categories, including fine dining, ethnic foods, cafes and microbrews, except for barbecue, where it ranked 20th.
Providence did well in other category rankings, too, according to visitors. It ranked fourth for theater and performance art, first as a base for day trips, ninth as an offbeat destination, and sixth as a gay-friendly destination. Visitors ranked Providence 27th for lots of hotel options and 20th as a Valentine's destination.
Separate rankings are made by residents, who ranked their city eighth for architecture, 13th for diversity, and seventh for street and food trucks. They also said Providence was the 9th best city for quality of life and visitor experience.
Residents, however, ranked the state's capital 26th for friendliness and 29th as the best city to visit during Christmas.
Providence did well on Travel + Leisure's overall list of "America's Favorite Cities," a compilation of the many specific lists, tying for 12th on the list with Austin, Texas, and Boston.
A complete list of rankings, including many more categories, can be found at travelandleisure.com.


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NEW YORK - Health officials confirmed the first case of an American infected with a mysterious virus that has sickened hundreds in the Middle East.
The man fell ill after flying to the U.S. late last week from Saudi Arabia where he was a health care worker.
He is hospitalized in good condition in northwest Indiana with Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Indiana health officials said Friday.
The virus is not highly contagious and this case "represents a very low risk to the broader, general public," Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters during a CDC briefing.
The federal agency plans to track down passengers he may have been in close contact with during his travels; it was not clear how many may have been exposed to the virus.
So far, it is not known how he was infected, Schuchat said.
Saudi Arabia has been at the center of a Middle East outbreak of MERS that began two years ago. The virus has spread among health care workers, most notably at four facilities in that country last spring.
Officials didn't provide details about the American's job in Saudi Arabia or whether he treated MERS patients.
Overall, at least 400 people have had the respiratory illness, and more than 100 people have died. All had ties to the Middle East region or to people who traveled there.
Experts said it was just a matter of time before MERS showed up in the U.S., as it has in Europe and Asia.
"Given the interconnectedness of our world, there's no such thing as 'it stays over there and it can't come here,'" said Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, a Columbia University MERS expert.
MERS belongs to the coronavirus family that includes the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which caused some 800 deaths globally in 2003.
The MERS virus has been found in camels, but officials don't know how it is spreading to humans. It can spread from person to person, but officials believe that happens only after close contact. Not all those exposed to the virus become ill.
But it appears to be unusually lethal - by some estimates, it has killed nearly a third of the people it sickened. That's a far higher percentage than seasonal flu or other routine infections. But it is not as contagious as flu, measles or other diseases. There is no vaccine or cure and there's specific treatment except to relieve symptoms.
Federal and state health officials on Friday released only limited information about the U.S. case: On April 24, the man flew from Riyadh - Saudi Arabia's capital and largest city - to the United States, with a stop in London. He landed in Chicago and took a bus to nearby Indiana. He didn't become sick until Sunday, the CDC said.
He went to the emergency room at Community Hospital in Munster the next day with a fever, cough and shortness of breath. He was admitted and tested for the MERS virus because he had traveled from the Middle East. The hospital said he was in good condition.
As a precaution, the hospital said it would monitor the man's family and health care workers who treated him for any signs of infection.
There's been a recent surge in MERS illnesses in Saudi Arabia; cases have tended to increase in the spring. Experts think the uptick may partly be due to more and better surveillance. Columbia's Lipkin has an additional theory - there may be more virus circulating in the spring, when camels are born.
The CDC has issued no warnings about travel to countries involved in the outbreak. However, anyone who develops fever, cough or shortness of breath within two weeks of traveling in or near the Arabian Peninsula should see their doctor and mention their travel history.


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CMHC Default Insurance (CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance)CMHC default insurance is required for every mortgage with a down payment between 5% and 19.99%. It is an insurance product that protects lenders in case the home owner defaults on their mortgage. For CMHC-insured mortgage loans, the maximum purchase price or as-improved property value must be below $1,000,000. |
Sutton Group - Realty Systems Inc., Brokerage, Independently Owned & Operated |


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
I personally love the concept of using JSON/JSON-RPC for doing this as I've been doing web development for more years than I care to admit. It is ridiculously simple to implement clients for it and I can make my own integration services based upon any number of technologies. This is excellent. However, I've seen interfaces done wrong more than once and that made dealing with it a living hell. My only problem at this point with LinuxMCE development has been getting a full development environment up and running to work on a small piece of code. I don't have the time to devote to getting a full dev environment going but I can contribute small things here and there like supporting new devices, etc. So, how would I quickly set up something to work with this project?
Your welcome to get involved at the Core/NC end if you'd like to or at the client end of things using your Web development skills. Post to this thread if you have ideas or questions etc.All the bestAndrew
Soooo, did anything happen in the past month or so?