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Feb 3, 2012
Song Luo (松萝茶)
This tea is not widely available in market, for various reasons. But according to the producer, considering the fresh leaves and processing costs, this tea could be sold well under 110 rmb per jin, that would be approximately $15 per pound. It's not a prestigious tea, its leaves neither the youngest of the season nor from the highest elevation. But I would say this is a sincerely made tea, and it tastes better than some of the not so sincerely made tea under a famous tea label.
I was enthusiastic to obtain this tea because it's said to be made with the traditional Song Luo Tea processing method, which is a tradition almost lost.
Although far from popular in Chinese market or international market nowadays, Song Luo was probably the earliest pan fried green tea. One of the best representatives of Song Luo, Tun Xi Green (from Tun Xi, Anhui), was one of the earliest Chinese green tea imported by the United States, the most popular green in the international market, and the most exported green tea from China. Due to the profit it brought from the international market, Tun Xi Green was once upon a time called "green gold" by tea dealers of Anhui.
Why is Song Luo less popular nowadays? Probably many factors contribute to it. Song Luo is one of the oldest green teas existing nowadays. It has a history of more than 400 years. Most green teas of today (more than 80%, as I estimate) are from the past 200 years. This doesn't include teas with same names as in ancient records but no longer follow the same processing methods or are actually entirely different teas.
As one of the earliest "modern" green teas, Song Luo enjoyed great reputation. Meantime, tea techniques have progressed all the time. Inevitably, Song Luo would be surpassed by a lot of new comers. Personally I think Huang Shan Mao Feng is one of the better new comers. But I'm sure I haven't tasted the best Song Long. So there hasn't been fair comparison yet.
Other factors contributing to Song Long's recession may include market choices and change of people's taste. In my experience with this tea and my previous experience with a Tun Xi Green (which was not yet made with exactly the traditional method), Song Luo tea's taste is relatively bold. This is consistent with historical record of this tea. In the past a few hundred years, Chinese people's appreciation on green tea was more or less dominated by subtle and implicit tastes. This is probably partially why Song Luo is no longer seen as a high end tea. But just because of this, I could see its potential of reviving as a high end tea in international market, as western people seem to generally have heavier taste on tea than Chinese. Even contemporary Chinese, due to the dietary changes, may have heavier and heavier tastes.
4 comments:
- Alex Zorach said...
This observation about the different perception of price is fascinating to me; I think it highlights a deep problem with the economic philosophy that dominates much of America and many other countries nowadays. I also think that the "business" perspective that you highlight, in which a higher price is always seen as better, is, in many cases, an anti-capitalist and anti-free-market sentiment which is destructive to economies.
Perhaps I can write about this more in the future.
I think I personally side more with the producer mentality here. And my own experiences with sampling tea certainly reinforce that there are amazing teas out there available at amazingly low prices.
I would like to try this one, I tend to like bold tasting Chinese green teas.
- February 22, 2012 at 10:14 AM
- minrivertea said...
Cool, thanks for writing about this tea - lots of information. I'm hoping to visit Huang Shan again this year, so I'll try to look out for it.
Regarding prices - it's interesting. I guess we're always looking for something extra-special (youngest leaves, most special location, oldest tea master). I've had two types of price-experience here in China though - one is what you call the 'producers' response: people telling me they have the same product, but cheaper. The other response is the other end - people who think any tea under 800 RMB isn't worth touching. Strange...
- February 22, 2012 at 11:07 AM
- Gingko said...
Yeah interestingly, this is not only a business mentality, but also some sort of consumer's mentality! I heard from quite a few people in China that they only drink tea over 800, or 1000, or 2000 per jin. But you would rarely hear this kind of comments in gatherings or online forums of tea enthusiasts.
For both business and consumers, I think it largely has to do with what's the source of satisfaction. Some consumer get the biggest satisfaction by the feeling of being able to afford something. A TGY producer once said he feels making good tea more satisfying than selling a lot of tea. I guess a lot of tea people are like him. But usually the most profitable businesses are not run by this kind of people. You can't have it at both ends.
- February 23, 2012 at 12:23 AM
- Iced said...
Looks good. I also like your teacup is is so raw ;)
- October 5, 2012 at 8:58 AM


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Welcome to the fourth Eat Make Grow Blog Hop. We've officially been doing this a month! I've learned so much from you guys and discovered some great new blogs! Thanks for reading and sharing.
Your Hosts:
Foy (That's me!) from Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat. (That's here.)
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1. No big corporation or business advertising or promotional posts. Let's not dilute Eat Make Grow with junky posts. We don't mind helping out the little home grown businesses of independent bloggers or handmade merchants (Etsy, etc.).
2. Please link your posts back to one of the hosting blogs.This is a common blog hop courtesy. This link helps build the Eat Make Grow community by sending your readers to all of the other participant's posts. We will feature two posts each week and we will only consider posts that have a link back. A text link is fine, or you can grab this button and put it anywhere on your blog, linking back to this post:
Each week we feature two links from the previous week. The one with the most clicks and one selected by this weeks host, Foy. Remember you can't be featured unless you link back to the hop!
Featured Posts:
Congratulations Barb from Frugal Local Kitchen your post of School Time Snack Roundup had the most clicks! And those snacks aren't just for kids, I'd go for some Whole Grain Cookies right now with iced coffee.
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subset: commoncrawl


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|Danville, Calif.
|High School:
|Undeclared Business
AS A JUNIOR IN 2014: Saw time in all 30 games this season… tallied 4 goals, 9 assists, 15 steals and 2 earned ejections … had 1 goal and 2 assists against Concordia on Mar. 1 … had 1 goal against Monterey on March 23 … had 1 goal vs. Sonoma State on Apr. 12
AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2013: Played in 17 games … had 10 attempts, one goal, four assists and four steals.
AS A FRESHMAN IN 2012: Was a key contributor off the bench for the Broncos, appearing in 22 contests and collecting five goals with six assists … scored her first collegiate goal against Loyola Marymount (3/31) … tallied three goals in a Broncos' victory over Cal St. San Bernardino (4/14).
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Carondelet High School in Concord, Calif. ... four-year varsity starter and letter winner ... 2007 BVAL Champions ... team finished in 4th place at the Western States Tournament in 2010 ... named to the All East Bay 2nd Team in 2010 ... namd EBAL First-Team in 2010... received North Coast Section Scholar Athlete Award ... played club water polo for Diablo ... recorded 2nd place finish at Club Championships ... also a four-year letter winner in swimming.
PERSONAL: Born in San Ramon, Calif. ... daughter of Paul and Kerry Radich ... enjoys reading, swimming, traveling and running ... She will be majoring in Marketing.
"I chose Santa Clara for the highly ranked Leavey School of Business, a small school atmosphere and the women's water polo team. Also several of my family members graduated from SCU where they all received a great education and have many great memories."


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Possible Duplicate:
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How do I change this to kilometers? I think its just the decimals that is the problem.
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var radius = 0.565352 * Math.sqrt(area);


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By Shane McGlaun
I am a huge UFC fan and have been watching the events since they first started back in the late 90's. I still have fond memories of one of the early events where the boxer came in with one glove thinking he was going to beat the other guy down only to find himself on his back getting beat like a drum a few seconds later.
I have been waiting for the new UFC 2009 game to come out and it is almost here. The game is set to ship on May 19 for the Xbox 360 and the PS3. Until then THQ has announced that a playable demo is available for download for both game consoles right now.


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Companies in engineering and construction, aerospace and defense, and machinery and components need to respond to rapid advances in automation, innovation, and digitization. Winners are achieving growth and lower costs through expansion, either in segment or geography; digital innovation; lean operating models; and structured M&A. New technologies are helping companies deliver targeted products, projects, and services at higher speeds, with better quality at lower costs.
We work with machine builders, automation specialists, and component suppliers to develop new competitive advantages, launch new businesses built on the evolving possibilities of digitization, and secure lasting results.Learn more about digital in machinery
Engineered products and infrastructure companies are finding innovative ways to reduce costs, manage risk, tighten supply chains, and improve R&D.Discover our Latest Thinking
BCG's Digitization Strategy Framework is helping industrial B2B players capture new opportunities.Explore our solutions
A global plant technology and engineering firm launches a successful transformation program to adapt to changing market realities.Read more about our impact
Managing Director & Senior Partner; Global Leader, Industrial Goods PracticeEmail Go to experts


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Project Milkweed
Returning Essential Wildflowers to America's Landscapes
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) are the required host plants for caterpillars of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and thus play a critical role in the monarch's life cycle. The loss of milkweed plants in the monarch's spring and summer breeding areas across the United States is believed to be a significant factor contributing to the reduced number of monarchs recorded in overwintering sites in California and Mexico. Agricultural intensification, development of rural lands, and the use of mowing and herbicides to control roadside vegetation have all reduced the abundance of milkweeds in the landscape. To help offset the loss of monarch breeding habitat, the North American Monarch Conservation Plan (published in 2008 by the tri-national Commission for Environmental Cooperation) recommends the planting of regionally appropriate native milkweed species. However, a scarcity of milkweed seed in many regions of the United States means limited opportunities to include the plants in regional restoration efforts.
To address this seed shortage, the Xerces Society launched Project Milkweed, with support from the Monarch Joint Venture, a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant, and private foundations. In collaboration with the native seed industry, the USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Program, and community partners, Xerces is producing new sources of milkweed seed in areas of the monarch's breeding range where seed has not been reliably available: California, the Great Basin, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. To further support this effort, the Xerces Society is raising public awareness about milkweeds' value to monarchs and native pollinators and promoting the inclusion of milkweeds in habitat restoration efforts.
Milkweed Seed Finder
Monarchs need milkweed! Locate regional suppliers of milkweed and milkweed seed using our Milkweed Seed Finder.
Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner's Guide
This Xerces Society guide shows how to bring back our milkweeds and restore habitat for monarch butterflies. Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner's Guide is a first-of-its kind manual on large-scale milkweed seed production, nursery propagation, and field restoration of the plants. Learn more.
Managing Milkweed Crop Pests
Increasing the availability of milkweeds is critical to monarch conservation, but seed production can be difficult. While monarchs are the most well-known milkweed specialists, other specialist milkweed-feeding insects can cause damage to valuable milkweed crops. Our guide provides management strategies for dealing with common milkweed pests including aphids, milkweed bugs, and milkweed beetles. Learn more.
Native Milkweed in California: Planting and Establishment
With the dramatic decline of western monarchs, successful planting and establishment of native milkweed in California takes on increased significance. This fact sheet provides clear instructions on how to establish milkweed from seed, transplants, and rhizomes, as well as where to plant for optimum benefit to monarchs. Learn more.
Regional Milkweed Guides
A series of regional guides to the native milkweeds of North America, developed in cooperation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service:
Native Milkweeds
|Great Basin
Native Milkweeds
|Central U.S.
Native Milkweeds
Native Milkweeds
Native Milkweeds
Native Milkweeds
|Desert Southwest
Native Milkweeds
Educational Brochures
The Florida Museum of Natural History, in collaboration with the Xerces Society, the Butterfly Conservation Initiative, and the U.S. Forest Service, has produced three educational brochures that feature information about monarchs and milkweeds. One side of the brochure describes the plight of the monarch and encourages the planting of regionally appropriate milkweed species, while the second side showcases larvae of other butterfly species and their associated host plants.
|Southeastern U.S.
|Eastern U.S.
|Northern Great Plains
Milkweed Population Survey
The Xerces Society, with support from the Monarch Joint Venture, has prepared a short web-based survey to gather information about the location of milkweed stands in the western states that potentially serve as important monarch breeding areas. If you know where milkweed grows, we'd appreciate you completing the survey.
Agency Partners
The NRCS Plant Materials Program develops innovative planting technology to solve the nation's most important resource concerns and is a proven leader in conservation plant selection. The Plant Materials Program includes a network of 27 Plant Materials Centers and associated Plant Materials Specialists serving all 50 states and territories. Previous work between the Xerces Society and the NRCS Plant Materials Program has supported the restoration of thousands of acres of pollinator habitat nationwide.
In Florida and New Mexico, Xerces is working with the Brooksville Plant Materials Center and the Los Lunas Plant Materials Center to conduct an initial seed increase of select milkweed species. The seed stock that is produced will be transferred to private native seed producers for commercial-scale production. Xerces has also worked with the Great Basin Plant Materials Center in Nevada to utilize on-site milkweed populations as a source of initial seed stock for seed increase work in the Great Basin.
- NRCS Plant Materials Program
- Brooksville Plant Materials Center
- Los Lunas Plant Materials Center
- Great Basin Plant Materials Center
Industry Partners
The Xerces Society and Hedgerow Farms, Inc. of Winters, California, have made significant strides in increasing the availability of native California milkweed seed for use in large-scale restoration projects across the Central Valley. To date, Hedgerow has produced nearly 1,000 pounds of milkweed seed (Asclepias eriocarpa, A. fascicularis, and A. speciosa) and has also launched production of heartleaf milkweed (A. cordifolia).
Hedgerow Farms specializes in producing high quality seed of source-identified California native grasses, sedges, rushes and forbs, and also sells plug transplants. Hedgerow Farms' plant materials are used for habitat restoration, agricultural revegetation, erosion control, and urban and rural landscaping. Hedgerow Farms also offers a seed mix developed with the Xerces Society for general pollinator conservation projects in California.
Xerces has partnered with Native American Seed, one of the largest native seed producers in Texas, to increase the seed production of two milkweed species, antelope horns (Asclepias asperula ssp. capricornu) and green milkweed (Asclepias viridis). Both species are important host plants for spring migrating monarchs that arrive in Texas upon their return from overwintering sites in Mexico.
Native American Seed offers 100% native and locally harvested wildflower & grass seeds, plant materials that are invaluable for the preservation of a unique genetic diversity and for the restoration of ecosystems.
Community Partners in Arizona
Arizona Western College
During 2012 – 2013, Xerces worked with Arizona Western College to propagate rush milkweed (Asclepias subulata) and conduct an initial seed increase. This unique, desert-adapted species has photosynthetic stems, is nearly leafless, and blooms several times per year. Under the guidance of Environmental Biology professors Ted Martinez and Megan Lahti, students established and maintained a seed production field, monitored the plants' use by monarch and queen butterflies, and harvested and cleaned seed. The seed used to initiate this grow-out was wild-collected by the Desert Botanical Garden.
The Painted Lady Vineyard in Skull Valley is working with the Xerces Society to produce seed of spider milkweed (Asclepias asperula ssp. asperula). This species grows in open woodlands, chaparral, grasslands, and along roadsides, and bears striking ball-shaped clusters of purple and green flowers. The Vineyard and volunteers have established a seed production field, using seedlings produced by Greenheart Farms in Arroyo Grande, California.


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Agilent 1200 Series - HPLC Stack HPLC System
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Community Calendar
Monday, January 01, 2018, 07:00am - 10:30am
Hits : 24501
Proper foot care, especially for seniors who may have limited range of motion, is an important component of overall health. Nurse Sharon Lester and her team of registered professionals provide a quality pedicure (without nail polish) to seniors on a first-come, first serve basis on the first Wednesday of every month. Pedicures start at 7:00 AM, and will continue through 10:30 AM. $20 per person, payable at the door.
Location Villiage Green Community Center - Summit Room


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The Golden Door: Letters To America by A.A. Gill
Weidenfeld and Nicholson $39.99
No one can be indifferent to America. Both familiar and alien, it looms over the world, a monstrous, polarising presence. From Frances Trollope through de Tocqueville, Dickens and down to Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry, few writers have been unable to resist the temptation to give us their views on the United States. Now A.A. Gill has joined in.
The devices that have earned his journalistic reputation - or notoriety - are on display. There is the liberal, gratuitous abuse, frequently focused on nationality lines. The French "confuse unadorned direct language with a lack of culture" and "aren't to be trusted". Anglo-Saxons have "an insecure desire to be liked and appreciated". Ulster is a "dour, humourless and unlovable little community".
"What is the point of shooting a Swiss," he asks. "There'd just be another one there in the morning, wearing the same grey suit, polishing his rimless glasses."
On New York, he says, "No one in their right mind would build a city here. Well, only the Dutch." Still, from someone who once described the Welsh as "loquacious dissemblers, immoral liars, stunted, bigoted, dark, ugly, pugnacious little trolls" that's possibly a compliment.
Gill can never resist the temptation to make a joke, even a cheap one, and many are very funny. He features himself in the anecdotes and, like so many reformed addicts, parades his former excesses with pride. Writers are never mundane, sad drunks or dopeheads. They are always giants of heroic abuse. Gill is no exception with his boasts of drinking everyone under the table.
But if Gill can be irritating, he is also enlightening, for along with his mannerisms he brings a keen intelligence to his subject. What makes this book singularly different is that it does not merely describe what America is but relates history to explain how it became that way. He has longstanding family connections with America - as have millions the world over, for it is quintessentially the nation of immigrants.
His title is taken from the famous lines: "Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door." What those who passed through that golden door have made is a unique society and Gill is an unapologetic admirer of what they have built.
He savages what he describes as the received wisdom of the Western middle classes that America is a stupid place with a convincing demonstration that it is anything but dumb. He points out that those who accuse America of being fascist and reactionary often owe their nation's and their personal freedom to American intervention and their concepts of freedom, quality and civil rights to the same source.
While an admirer, he is not blinded by America and he spends entertaining sections on those aspects of American life which most of us find so inexplicable. There are terrific chapters on the American obsessions with guns, the electric chair, breasts, and the American dream. The sheer battiness of much American religion is given a good working-over and the extraordinary American excess in food is put into some historical context. For most of the world, including America itself, the US exists only on screen and Gill's take on the movies is, like the rest of the book, a lively and convincing analysis.
Nations are mocked for regarding themselves as exceptions but this account makes a persuasive case that America is as extraordinary as its citizens believe.
John Gardner is an Auckland reviewer.


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Opinion: Cap-and-Trade By Another Name
Editorial board member Joe Rago on President Obama's nominations to head the EPA and Energy Departments.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the of presidents of possibly element to his lack of authority but to ... now we're going to read a story where are present seems to have a tremendous amount of authority I may be morally showed ... our ... editorial writer Joe rego is here on non ... head editorial the paper today about the basically the regulatory assault from the Environmental Protection Agency ... Teed up for the second term mayor of New Watt ... head of the EPA named Gina McCarthy who had been doing the a ... the heavy regulations on air quality within the agency ... aam ... Joe here's my question is people look at this what can I get from the editorials and then I think most people it is this is basically an effort to shut down coal plants ... prevent new ones from being built slowly phase out the ones that are still operating ... right and you know that ... the EPA administration relieved to ... hear ... by the fracking revolution that we've seen a real low-cost ... natural gas it's it's really ... aam who wanted some of the economic cost of of these regulations that they're they're putting on utilities ... but ... insisted that there was a reference in its oral one thing I want a little more is this idea that it's the clean Air Act is land or stand and is being used ... to basically over the long-term shutdown this and I are in history ... I don't think anyone who was passing the clean air into the early seventies are very few people in that time voting for this thing ... bought what they were doing is saying no part of an ... upright and will be the look and John Dingell a Michigan Republican ... on the first elected nineteen fifty five when the clean Air Act in nineteen seventy years or so has been going around saying ... we never intended diesel was to apply to karma knocked on the greenhouse gases and it ... makes sense because that was not a major environmental concern that time now ... as I understand that this is basically a of unsettled legal question after a court decision I did ... do your IPO and there's the two thousandseven Supreme Court decision Massachusetts versus the EPA ... which said ... the EPA has the power if they wanted to court declared carbon oxide and THQ's ... op and dangerous pollutant under the Clean Air Act and in which case all these other ... regulations taken now ... these were written for solutions like ... socks in Knox and Mercury which were to just do it ... the senators are so good ... write ... it on your next I tried ... related to wield its power but ... the data security and that the traditional air pollutants the ones that ... lead to respiratory problems smog over cities those acid rain from ... state to state those companies on ... the dirt admitted in very low quantities ... of carbon is emitted in huge quantities ... so what you really have that it's it's a really odd inflexible and Chorley design cool to do this even if that's ... your priority booking the point is that unless there is so mom political sense of restraint here ... I mean is there a limit now that we the government ... has the a ... the ability to sell carbon into the issue is the isthe is no reason it couldn't go from cold to pretty much any Kennedy manufacturing the way down your lawnmower I mean is there he ... is there any sort of constitutional protection now I don't know what to think that is partially why don't the political market will bear will ... have everything under the Clean Air Act is with his litigated for years ... so that there is still some recourse for the court that if you if you look at what the EPA first proposed in two thousandseven for example ... there are tons out you don't hear one ... they were really tall euro regulating Wacker Zen and emissions from ... our lawn mowers and things like that ... ah Agricole told missions in one of one of the biggest sources of methane for example is aam ... flatulence from House weigh in on the ... call that they wanted to ... go in that direction so this is ... this is really a cool that did ... the to start with the Bacall fired plants which are they're already doing that and be moving down ... the Energy chain and and looking mentioned the manufacturing and refineries ... I'm you know Samantha ... if you're making you think things like that and they even down to a very large building scene of the building we're in right now conceivably ... be considered for a large stationary sources of emissions I hospitals things like that of large school buildings and so forth so it's it's really very broad regulatory tool ... this does not sound like the way to ... increase economic growth that doesn't sound like the recipe for a manufacturing revival in the United States ... if you look at the look and energy use an almost perfectly tracks ... on GDP over time growth of the economy you know it's it's it's sort of ... driving higher than for everything that we do ... to to create expansion ... so when when you when you have ... you know the words electricity come from for most people with knowledge comes out of stock and Walt but but the truth this is sort of form the basic building blocks of of our economic system ... the next day they show a sense ...


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HOUSTON — National methane emissions are up to 75 percent higher than the Environmental Protection Agency has previously estimated, according to a study to be published Friday.
The study accounted for methane leaking from natural gas processing plants, wells and other infrastructure. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a warming effect about 30 times that of carbon dioxide.
The research, which will be published in the journal Science, involved seven universities, three government agencies and other groups, according to the journal. The study did not involve new data collection, but reviewed existing research.
The study was funded by the nonprofit Novim through a grant from the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, according to a press release on the philanthropy's website. George Mitchell was the innovator behind modern hydraulic fracturing.
"Atmospheric tests covering the entire country indicate emissions around 50 percent more than EPA estimates," said a statement from the lead author of the study, Adam Brandt, an assistant professor of energy resources engineering at Stanford University. "And that's a moderate estimate."
Study: Methane leaks from natural gas wells declining
Methane emissions are between 25 percent and 75 percent higher than EPA estimates because the agency does not take into account natural seepage and has not gained a clear picture of leaks from natural gas infrastructure, according to the study.
"We find measurements at all scales show that official inventories consistently underestimate actual (methane) emissions, with the natural gas and oil sectors as important contributors," the study said.
Because of natural gas facility leaks, diesel may be a more climate-friendly fuel when it comes to vehicles, since its total life-cycle emissions have a lower impact on global warming than that of natural gas used for transportation, according to the study. That's because natural gas can leak at several points before it is delivered to vehicles, the study said.
The study found that methane leaks from natural gas wells, pipelines, storage tanks and processing facilities are a major concern, although they happen at a low frequency. An analysis of from 75,000 infrastructure components found that 58 percent of all methane leaked came from 0.6 percent of possible sources, the study said.
Those "superemitters" are a major part of the problem, said Francis O'Sullivan, director of research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's energy initiative and an author of the study.
"We can develop more cost effective more technically effective sensing technologies," O'Sullivan said. "It should be possible to identify much more rapidly these superemitters and if one was able to do that you could very significantly address the problem."
Despite current leak problems, natural gas remains a better option for power plants than coal, the study said.
The foundation said:
Even though the gas system is almost certainly leakier than previously thought, generating electricity by burning gas rather than coal still reduces the total greenhouse effect over 100 years. Not only does burning coal release an enormous amount of carbon dioxide, mining it releases methane.
Perhaps surprisingly though, the analysis finds that powering trucks and buses with natural gas instead of diesel fuel probably makes the globe warmer, because diesel engines are relatively clean. For natural gas to beat diesel, the gas industry would have to be less leaky than the EPA's current estimate, which the new analysis also finds quite improbable.


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NHL Central Scouting: Goalies to watchby Mike G. Morreale
Goalies Thatcher Demko of the Boston College Eagles and Alex Nedeljkovic of the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League have the privilege of being the only players at their position with an "A" rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2014 NHL Draft.
Demko, a San Diego native, and Nedeljkovic, born in Ohio, each could become the first American-born goalie drafted in the first round since the Dallas Stars selected Jack Campbell with the 11th pick of the 2010 NHL Draft. Demko was the youngest goalie invited to USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August.
At 6-foot-4 and 182-pounds, Demko is one the top prospects at his position heading into the 2013-14 season. Prior to joining the United States National Team Development Program's under-18 team last season, he went 9-3-0 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 15 games for the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League in 2011-12.
"He's a huge, strong goalie with excellent net coverage; he has that NHL presence in the net," Central Scouting's Al Jensen told NHL.com. "He is more of a positional-style goalie, relying on his angles and size. He plays big in his stance and when he drops in the butterfly, gets his body in front of a lot of shots. He's smart at reading the play and gets set quickly."
Jensen is equally impressed with Nedeljkovic, who took over the starting role in Plymouth in 2012-13 despite being an underage goalie.
"He's got good angle play which gives him very good net coverage," Jensen said. "He has a quick glove hand."
In addition to Demko and Nedeljkovic, there are several other prospects looking to impress. Here are NHL.com's initial five North American goalies to watch (listed alphabetically):
Thatcher Demko, Boston College (HE): He went 30-9-4 with six shutouts, a 2.08 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 46 games with the USNTDP U-18 team last season. He also started all seven games to backstop the United States to the silver medal at the 2013 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, recording a 2.24 GAA and .899 save percentage. He had a 4-0 shutout of Sweden in the quarterfinals, stopping all 28 shots.
"When making stops he makes them with authority," Jensen said. "Strength is definitely not an issue with Thatcher. He has a powerful leg drive, which really helps in his recovery, and he displays lots of confidence. He's a very good prospect for this year."
Edwin Minney, USNTDP (USHL): The 6-4.25, 191-pounder earned a "B" ranking from Central Scouting. He's committed to Michigan State University starting in the fall of 2014. He'll join Demko at the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game on Sept. 26 at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.
"He plays big in all situations, is so relaxed, calm and poised out there," Jensen said. "He has excellent body control and balance when moving throughout the crease and making saves, has an excellent butterfly and great low net coverage, with his extended butterfly covering the lower portion of the net. His recovery and lateral ability is excellent."
Brent Moran, Niagara IceDogs (OHL): Last season, his first in the Ontario Hockey League, Moran finished with a 4.26 GAA and .872 save percentage in 19 games. The "B"-rated goalie (6-3.5, 186) should improve upon those numbers with a greater workload in 2013-14. Jensen sees a lot of upside in the Ottawa native.
"He has a very big presence, especially on initial shots," he said. "He's very quick for his size and his technical ability is very good. He has strong legs which allow him to push off his post and move laterally very quickly. He plays most of his game in the paint, and with his size you don't see many holes; he gets his body in front of a lot of shots."
Alex Nedeljkovic, Plymouth Whalers (OHL): As an OHL rookie last season, the 6-foot, 184-pound "A"-rated goalie had a 2.28 GAA and .923 save percentage in 26 games. The Parma, Ohio, native will join Demko and Minney at the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game.
"He's another very quick and athletic goalie; I like his drive and determination," Jensen said. "He battles and has good strength in his crease area, has excellent recovery and lateral quickness. He's got quick reactions, flaring out his pads to make low-corner stops. He's very smart and is capable of playing big games consistently."
Blake Weyrick, USNTDP (USHL): The 6-3, 203-pounder will pair with Demko for Team Mark Johnson at the All-American Prospects Game. The Ojai, Calif., product perfected his craft at Shattuck-St. Mary's prep school in Minnesota before joining the USNTDP in 2012-13. In seven games for the USNTDP under-18 team, he had a 2.96 GAA and .868 save percentage. He enters the season with a "B" rating.
"He relies heavily on his quickness and athleticism, which is excellent," Jensen said. "He could turn out to be one of the quicker goalies for this year's draft. He has great lateral quickness, which gives him a good chance to make the huge save for his team, and has a very quick recovery. He's very determined, has a great work ethic and will only continue to get better. He'll be another very good prospect to follow this year."


text: Fired gold luster is not usually fluxed with lead...when fired it is usually about 20 to 22 karat gold. So that should not be an issue. And the amount of surface area actually covered by that material is usually VERY minimal anyway.collector wrote:.........if the rim is gold colour, there is also risk.


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Xbox Live deals: Forza, Rocksmith, Back to the Future, The Walking Dead, more
A not-too-shabby round of deals this week.
Rocksmith headlines
Rocksmith 2014 Edition gets a five pack from Iron Maiden
Rocksmith 2014 Edition has some new DLC available and its a five pack from Iron Maiden. Each song will run you $2.99 each or you can buy the entire pack for $11.99. The songs available are: 2 Minutes To Midnight, Aces High, Fear of the Dark, The Number of the Beast, and Run to the […]
Rocksmith 2014 Edition will be "a fully responsive personal teacher," says Ubisoft
Rocksmith 2014 Edition will have an expanded Lesson system which will do more than just identify your mistakes, according to Ubisoft.
Rocksmith series has sold 1.4 million copies, new study confirms shredding benefits
A national study by the Research Strategy Group, has found Rocksmith is "the fastest way to learn how to play the guitar.
Rocksmith's Alternative Rock DLC pack now available on PSN and XBL
Rocksmith's Alternative Rock DLC pack is now available for download on PSN and XBL.
Rocksmith Classic Rock DLC pack now available through Xbox Live in Europe
Rocksmith's Classic Rock DLC pack is now available for download on Xbox Live in Europe, the Middle-East and Asia for £23.99 or 2400 MS points.
Rocksmith: PC batch shipped without activation keys, Ubisoft sees fan backlash
Rocksmith is now available in the UK, but Ubisoft has mistakenly shipped a batch of PC editions without activation keys, much to the anger of fans. The publisher is offering compensation to those affected.
Rocksmith was originally 'Guitar Rising', Ubisoft discusses the game's origins
Rocksmith launches in the UK this week, and producer Jason Schroeder has shared new details around the game's initial concept and why he feels that it wasn't inspired by the success of both Guitar Hero or Rock Band.
Rocksmith bass expansion hitting PC in October
Rocksmith's PC edition is getting a bass expansion next month, publisher Ubisoft has revealed, and although it comes with a hefty price tag, you get a lot of extra content too.
Rocksmith to finally release in Europe next month
Rocksmith has been given a concrete release date for Europe. The game, which teaches players how to play a real guitar and bass, launched last October in the US. Rocksmith will land in stores for PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 27 and on PC October 18. Thanks, Talkar.
Rocksmith DLC teaches you to play bass
New DLC for Ubisoft's Rocksmith will add the option to learn the bass guitar when it launches for PS3 and 360 next week. Bass tracks for all of Rocksmith's 53 tracks will be supported, in addition to any downloaded tracks. The DLC includes tutorial videos as well as a series of challenges and mini-games to […]
Ubisoft confirms Eurogamer Expo 2012 line-up
Ubisoft has said it plans to bring Assassin's Creed III, Far Cry 3, Just Dance 4, and Rocksmith to Eurogamer Expo in September. Each game will be playable, and the show this year promises to be "the biggest gaming show the UK has ever seen," says Eurogamer MD Rupert Loman. More developers and publishers are […]
Ubisoft take Rocksmith on a European tour this Summer
Ubisoft has announced that they're to take their guitar tutor title Rocksmith on tour this summer in Europe, continuing on from a tour of the US.
Guitar Apprentice suing Ubisoft for patent infringement over Rocksmith tech
Guitar Apprentice filed a patent infringement against Ubisoft last week over its guitar instruction game Rocksmith. According to the suit, the company claims Ubisoft in direct violation of USP 8,119,896 which was created for a "media system and method of progressive musical instruction". Guitar Apprentice filed the patent on October 12, 2010 and Rocksmith launched […]
Rocksmith trademark dispute unresolved
A legal battle may yet jeopardise Ubisoft's recently announced September European release for Rocksmith.
Rocksmith rocks its way into the UK September 14th
The guitar game that actually teaches you to play a real guitar hopes to bring anarchy to the UK this september.
Ubisoft: Rocksmith's frosty reception blamed on "lack of enthusiasm for something that is new"
Ubisoft's North American executive director Laurent Detoc feels the reason Rocksmith was met with a less-than enthusiastic response from the gaming community along with tepid review scores is because "as much as [gamers] claim they want innovation, they don't."
Rocksmith to skip Europe until 2012
Ubisoft has confirmed on Facebook that Rocksmith will not release in Europe until 2012. The game is still down for a release next week, but will miss here until next year due to "music licensing and other external factors." For those thinking about importing, you may be out of luck. According to GameSpot, the 360 […]
Ubisoft bringing Might & Magic, Revelations, Rayman, Rocksmith, more to PAX
Ubisoft has announced the line-up of games it will be bringing to PAX Prime with it next weekend. It has also revealed an Assassins' Creed panel and pre-order incentives for the fan event as well.
Rocksmith bundles include Epiphone Les Paul Junior guitars
Ubisoft has announced bundles for Rocksmith, created via a partnership with Gibson, which will bundle Epiphone Les Paul Junior guitars with the game.
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Rocksmith latest
Xbox Live deals: Forza, Rocksmith, Back to the Future, The Walking Dead, more
Rocksmith 2014 Edition will be "a fully responsive personal teacher," says Ubisoft
Rocksmith series has sold 1.4 million copies, new study confirms shredding benefits
Rocksmith's Alternative Rock DLC pack now available on PSN and XBL
Rocksmith Classic Rock DLC pack now available through Xbox Live in Europe
Rocksmith: PC batch shipped without activation keys, Ubisoft sees fan backlash
Rocksmith was originally 'Guitar Rising', Ubisoft discusses the game's origins
Guitar Apprentice suing Ubisoft for patent infringement over Rocksmith tech
Ubisoft: Rocksmith's frosty reception blamed on "lack of enthusiasm for something that is new"
Ubisoft bringing Might & Magic, Revelations, Rayman, Rocksmith, more to PAX
Wednesday Shorts Late Edition: DiRT 3, Kotick, Earthrise, D&D, iOS, sales


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I was planning to name this post "The Badger last steps", but that sounds way too dramatic. I don't really have the feeling this is really what I want my blog to be. one part of me wants to put my whole life on my blog, but the other one, the most convincing one, thinks some things are just too personal to post them. (oh and don't get it wrong, I'M NOT CONCERVATIVE!).
I want to move on and have new projects. I want to learn and move my ass. I want to meet new people and write. But I have the feeling this blog is stopping me from doing that!
Anyway. I've made this playlist: Women With a voice


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2013 Season (Junior): Named to All-Northern Athletics Conference Singles Team...Named to All-Northern Athletics Conference Doubles Team with partner Taylor Shaffer...Posted a 15-12 singles record, including going 7-1 in conference play...Went 14-14 in doubles as No. 1 doubles team with Shaffer...Won season-high eight straight matches from Apr. 6 through Apr. 26...Won 6-2, 6-1 in NAC Semifinals against Edgewood College (May 4) at No. 2 singles...He and Shaffer won 8-0 in No. 1 doubles match of NAC Championships versus MSOE (May 4).
2012 Season (Sophomore): Named to the Northern Athletic Conference Singles and Doubles team...Finished with an 18-7 overall record in singles play, mostly at No. 2 singles...Finished 15-11 overall in doubles play at No. 1 doubles and was the runner-up in the NAC Doubles Championship.
2011 Season (Freshman): Named to the Northern Athletics Conference Singles and Doubles team...Finished with a 19-12 overall record in doubles play and was runner-up in the NAC Doubles Championship...Recorded a 21-10 recording, including 8-0 in conference play, at the No. 3 and 4 singles. Was named to the NAC all-conference team for singles in 2011-2012.
High School: Was an All-Big Rivers Conference performer at No. 1 doubles for four seasons and qualified for the WIAA State Tournament each season.


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For the record, I don't think butts needed brined. Plenty of fat to keep it moist. Also, 190 internal temp is key for the fall apart goodness. That's when the cartilage and whatever other fancy things in there that I forget break down to really make it fall apart.
If cooking in oven put in shallow pan and pour in some coke and wrap meat and pan with aluminum foil. Man that makes it tender!
Quote from: majorvices on August 02, 2013, 01:21:11 AMIf cooking in oven put in shallow pan and pour in some coke and wrap meat and pan with aluminum foil. Man that makes it tender!That's a Southern man right there! My mom, who lives in B'ham, uses Coke as an ingredient for just about any braised meat or crock pot dish. Personally, I don't think I've made pot roast w/out coke and onion soup mix!
I like to brine the meat in apple juice and salt water overnight and rub with brown sugar, sage, salt and chili or cayenne. Smoke until internal temps are 160 over hickory and apple wood w apple juice in water pan. Usually takes 10 hours or more. You can cheat and smoke it for at least 4 or 6 hours and put it in oven at 170-200. Until meat can be pulled. And that's the key. You have to cook the meat till it is tender enough to be pulled in strips.


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Attractions and distractions
Use the quick links below to jump to a particular section of our sights and activities coverage for Siem Reap.
The question of overcrowding at Angkor Wat is becoming a serious one, and efforts are being made by numerous bodies to try to address it. ... Read more about Angkor's grandeur on a minor scale: Dy Proeung's work .
This museum is dedicated to the efforts of one man to clear Cambodia's soils of the most vicious remnants of war. It's also a record of global efforts to reduce and abolish the use of landmines, a weapon that has a disproportionate impact on civilian ... Read more about Cambodian Landmine Museum .
For the first 45 minutes of our trip through the mammoth, 20,000-square-metre building, we didn't spot another visitor. The museum opened in November 2007, and its shopping mall-like feel contrasts with the thousands-year-old artefacts contained within it. A visit is a comfortable, air-con alternative to visiting the temples themselves, and a nice educational supplement to the history of ... Read more about Angkor National Museum .
Within less than a minute's walk of Siem Reap's Old Market is a quiet little hideaway, a fragrant oasis where you can escape the hustle and the crowds of Siem Reap and take a moment to breathe, relax and get your bearings. More than that, if your curiosity about Angkor goes more than skin deep, then it's also an essential destination to add to your list, as the library here at Wat Damnak ... Read more about Wat Damnak & the Centre for Khmer Studies .
Wat Bo Pagoda, close to the Siem Reap River on the east side, is one of the oldest in Siem Reap and a peaceful place to escape and take a break from touring the major temple sites of nearby ... Read more about Wat Bo Pagoda .
Wat Thmei pagoda, located on one of the roads leading to Angkor Wat, is worth pausing at particularly if you won't be visiting Phnom Penh. Here at this active monastery you can understand more about Cambodia's tragic history since this now relatively built up area of town was formerly a site of killing fields in Siem Reap during the Khmer Rouge ... Read more about Wat Thmei .
Stuffed frog, sauteed cricket and deep fried tarantula are probably the best known examples of Cambodia's rich street food tradition – partly because Gordon Ramsay pulled faces and swore a lot when he was forced to try them on a recent TV series and partly because, well, they all sound rather grim. ... Read more about River Garden Street Food Tours .
Celestial nymphs born from the Churning of the Sea of Milk, thousands of Apsaras gracefully adorn the walls of Angkor's temples flying through the air or dancing in Indra's Heavens, smiling quietly to themselves. Devatas are the more earthly semi-divine Goddesses, whose features are carved into the walls as they stand, sporting imperial impressions and often holding a lotus flower. These are ... Read more about Apsara Dancing .
Bright lights, glitz and glamour. Rosana Broadway certainly doesn't come close to under-delivering if you measured its success and entertainment value by the number of sequins on ... Read more about Rosana Broadway .
Eye-popping acrobatics, hypnotic dance, thrilling, bone-chilling music, dramatic live art, enough energy to power a million dreams and stories that will make you laugh, then cry, then smile deep inside. That is the essence of Phare, the Cambodian Circus, a contemporary performance troupe that brings Cambodian history and culture to the fore with a special style. It is one of the genuinely ... Read more about Phare, the Cambodian Circus .
Work may be the last thing you have on your mind if you've hit the road for a while, but we know people in Cambodia who've had to scramble to find a quiet place with decent, reliable internet for an unexpected Skype interview, catch up on their studies or carry on with their freelancing projects. Enter: co-working ... Read more about Co-working spaces .
With Cambodia's colourful history and tales of red rebels, kidnappings, landmines, corruption and dodgy roads, it's unsurprising that parents might think that, say, Brussels or the local petshop might be better options when planning a trip with their kids. ... Read more about Siem Reap with kids .
Finding a gym in Siem Reap is an awful lot easier than doing burpees. With so many hotels in town, there are plenty of first-rate gyms to choose from. But if you're not fortunate enough to be staying at one of those, there are plenty of dedicated independent gyms too. They may be a little more rough and ready, but still do everything you need to work up a decent sweat — though you'll likely ... Read more about Where to work out in Siem Reap .
At certain times of year life in Siem Reap without a pool verges on the ... Read more about Where to go swimming .
The last thing I ever thought I'd discover on coming to Asia was an amazing hairdresser. I'd hoped to find new people, tastes and experiences for sure. And to develop a totally new relationship between myself and the world around me, well that would be nice too. But to find a hairdresser able to bid me farewell without wondering where that faint sobbing sound is coming from, not a hope. I'm ... Read more about Getting a haircut in Siem Reap .
Cambodia is a country that takes on your senses and gives them a thorough going-over, sometimes in a bad way, but more often in a way that leaves you aching for more. ... Read more about Taking good photos of Siem Reap's temples .
The work of Angkor Hospital For Children (AHC) is immense. Since 1999, the paediatric teaching hospital — Cambodia's first — has provided more than one million medical treatments, education to thousands of Cambodian health workers and prevention training to thousands of families. A non-profit, the hospital relies entirely on donations. There is also one form of donation on which they and ... Read more about Angkor Hospital For Children .
It is hard to believe that the village of Anlung Pi is just 25 kilometres from the five-star hotels of Siem Reap and the iconic lotus bud towers of Angkor Wat. Tourists don't come here, and they shouldn't. The village itself is unremarkable, but if you were to walk through the fields, just a few hundred yards from the neat, traditional wooden village houses, you would find yourself in the middle ... Read more about Helping Siem Reap's rubbish dump families .
Angkor Fight Club is a small gym just to the west of the city offers classes in Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and Crossfit, and it does it at prices you'd be hard pressed to find in the West, which might be why it is gaining so much in popularity. That, and the growing attraction of sports like UFC (ultimate fighting championship) to public ... Read more about Angkor Fight Club .
To say that Siem Reap has an abundance of cooking classes is a bit like saying it sometimes rains in England. There are loads, but we highlight a couple here that we like for various ... Read more about Cooking classes .
Ingredients for a good cocktail class are not just fresh and exciting produce, but ample tasting opportunities. Cycling home in a not-too-straight-line after the 90-minute class at Asana bar is a testament to the fact the lesson here didn't fall ... Read more about Khmer cocktail class at Asana .
As Siem Reap grows, so too does the number of creative types and entrepreneurs drawn by the vibrancy, beauty and spirit of this dusty little corner of the world. The result is an absolute treasure trove for souvenir hunters looking for something original and unique to Siem Reap, all the better to trigger happy memories, or wow friends back ... Read more about Shopping in Siem Reap .
As you walk the streets, or drink and dine in Siem Reap you will at some stage undoubtedly be petitioned by children and adult male landmine victims to buy books or, in the case of the kids, postcards, jewellery or flowers. This post is not just a request to not buy anything from the children, but also a strong call to please buy from the ... Read more about Buy from adults, not street kids in Cambodia .
A variety of workshops, ateliers and artisan showrooms are home to impressive wares where you can find special gifts to take home from Siem Reap, while also learning how they are made — in Cambodia — by observing first-hand the efforts of skilled handicraft workers. Here's our round up of where to find more meaningful artisan mementos at workshops, which are all free to ... Read more about Artisan workshops .
An iconic and ubiquitous symbol of Cambodia, the krama is a piece of cloth, usually about 1.5 metres long and between 40 and 90 centimetres wide with a crisscross pattern that seems to have as many uses as it does little coloured checks. It is the single item of apparel that allows one to distinguish Cambodians from their neighbours, or anyone ... Read more about Cambodian kramas .
On first impressions, Siem Reap might not seem like a fashion haven, but there are options here and, believe us, it's better than a few years ago when female expats had to be physically restrained from mugging arriving planes of visitors in the hope of getting their hands on trousers (or knickers) they could pull up past their ... Read more about Clothes shopping .
The word 'souvenir' is derived from the French for to remember, and far more than their beauty or intrinsic value that of course is the ultimate purpose of those odd trinkets we buy when we travel. We're not really buying a thing so much as a memory trigger: for that moment on a rubbish day at home when our eye should fall on the misshapen elephant on the shelf that instantly transports us ... Read more about Handicrafts from Siem Reap: Are they really? .
As the name suggests, Garden of Desire is a place in which to set your heart free. It is also a window into the mind of Ly Piseth, the designer who came back to Cambodia in 2007 in order to restore his own soul. Along the way, he has tapped into a creative seam that expresses not just his own spirit but also the very essences of the natural world that surrounds ... Read more about Jewellery in Siem Reap .
The busy streets of Siem Reap are in a constant state of flux as bars, shops and restaurants open, close, move or refurbish at an astonishing rate. Eventually, some establishments settle down and start to become part of the scenery. A sort of settling has now taken place on Alley West, Siem Reap's freshest, funnest, chicest and most eccentric little ... Read more about Siem Reap street guide: Alley West .
One of the best and most interesting ways to evoke memories of a trip somewhere special is not through things you touch — souvenirs (though there can be a place for them, of course) — but through the things you can smell, preferably also employing your nose's partner in a good time, your sense of taste. ... Read more about Siem Reap's cookbooks .
I'm one of those people who claims to be non-techie and unswayed by market caprice, but somehow always contrives to have something that's nearly up-to-date, but insufficiently à la mode that I can lay claim to an air of above-it-all superiority. I think the technical term for it is hypocrite. I don't have a Mac, but spend far too much time playing with Photoshop on my extra-wide laptop. I ... Read more about Where can I get my camera/computer/gadget fixed in Siem Reap? .
There appear to be people in Siem Reap who are seriously worried that the world might one day run out of markets. It's the only rational justification I can think of for the gay abandon with which these temples of trade are being chucked up in every spare square metre of space that can be found here. There is no doubt a sweet and faithful hope of creating an eternal global monument to market ... Read more about Siem Reap Old Market .
You can be forgiven for thinking that Siem Reap already has a surfeit of markets, although you might be hard pushed to distinguish one from the other. However the Made in Cambodia Market is absolutely worth your ... Read more about Made in Cambodia market .
There is nothing like a visit to thriving city centre market to make you feel really connected with the local culture. While Bangkok has Chatuchak, Saigon has Ben Thanh, and Phnom Penh has the art deco Psar Thmei, what does Siem Reap have to compete with these mercantile icons? The answer is Psar Leu, a sprawling, covered workaday market where prices are low, the air is surprisingly fragrant, and ... Read more about Psar Leu Market .
Heading down a wide road on the outskirts of Siem Reap at night, when camera-toting temple tourists are tucking into their fish amok in front of an Apsara dance show, and backpackers head to Pub Street, you'll hit a dead end — welcome to Kyung Yu, a funfair that sets up daily come ... Read more about Kyung Yu Fun Fair .
A 15-minute stroll north from the Old Market, along the shady west bank of the Siem Reap River, with its ornate stone street lamps and hotch-potch of animal and religious sculptures, leads you to The Royal Gardens, the Siem Reap city centre's only open public green ... Read more about Siem Reap's Royal Gardens .
While they're not as pushy as their counterparts in Bangkok, it's still almost impossible to walk through central Siem Reap without hearing the siren call of "you want massaaage?" as pitchers nervously exhort you to enter their particular spa space. And there are now so many of them with the same glass front, same menu and unknowable service that it's impossible to separate the wheat ... Read more about Where can I get a good massage in Siem Reap? .
Siem Reap is home to a broad selection of yoga classes in a variety of styles. The only drawback is that given the largely transient nature of the client base, little is available for advanced practitioners. However, for those in the early or middle stages of their practice, there is much to choose ... Read more about Yoga .
At the physical heart of Cambodia, an immense body of water is the soul of the nation. The great Tonle Sap lake not only sustains Cambodian stomachs, with its harvest accounting for more than 50% of Cambodia's protein intake, it is also a source of immense national ... Read more about Tonle Sap Lake .
What can one say about Chong Kneas, if one really had to be polite about it. ... Read more about Chong Khneas .
The Lotus Farm is a 20-acre lake producing thousands of gorgeous lotus flowers, all harvested to create a unique, silk-like textile, and was set up by local brand Samatoa in ... Read more about Lotus Farm .
Whether you're a bird watcher, simple nature lover or culture vulture, there's something to intrigue and enthral at Prek Toal, a floating fishing village on the far side of the Tonle Sap lake, and also home to one of the most important colonies of water birds in Southeast ... Read more about Prek Toal bird reserve .
Getting out into the countryside for scenes of rural life, where ox carts trundle along against a backdrop of vibrant green rice fields sprinkled with quaint, quiet villages, is one of the loveliest ways to spend your time around Siem Reap and a great reason to add another day in Cambodia into your itinerary. But the sleepy pace of the countryside need not be reflected in your choice of transport ... Read more about Quad biking .
A floating village on the northern reaches of the Tonle Sap, Mechrey is not the loveliest spot in the world, but it offers some great bird-spotting opportunities, as well as a chance to witness a unique way of life for those who live on the ... Read more about Mechrey .
The serene temples of Siem Reap may not conjure up images of white-knuckle adventures for adrenaline addicts, yet there are an ever-increasing number of opportunities to ramble along little-trodden routes and escape the crowds by foot, bike, horseback and petrol power. Here's a roundup of some of the best adventurous and active ways to see famous Angkorian antiquities and contemporary rural ... Read more about Adventure activities in Siem Reap .
Ecotourism is the most important word in the Cambodian tourism lexicon at the moment. Everyone is at it, or claims to be, in response to the growing desire of tourists to enjoy something that's at once different, involved or "experiential" to use the other crucial industry buzzword, and environmentally responsible (we won't talk about airline carbon footprints here). But notwithstanding ... Read more about Ecotour or not ecotour .
For cyclists, Siem Reap is genuinely twice blessed. Firstly, all the major sights are within easy striking distance of the town using pedal power alone. And secondly — and more importantly given the tropical climate — the terrain is pretty much flat as a pancake, making cycling a year-round ... Read more about Cycling around Siem Reap .
How hot and sticky is it in Siem Reap? Even in the cooler months of the year, after a day spent trampling around Angkorian temples or visiting any of the many other things to see, you feel horrible before it's even midday. Clothes are stuck to everything. A river, a whole river, of sweat has gushed down your back and God knows where. Your dominant mood is sluggish with a hint of irritation. And ... Read more about Swimming in Siem Reap .
A centre dedicated to protecting and preserving some of Cambodia's most at-risk wildlife, the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity allows visitors a chance to appreciate the wild diversity of this beautiful ... Read more about Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity .
Tara offers a series of packages, which can take you to Chong Kneas, Kampong Phluk or Kampong Kleang. The Tara Riverboat itself is at Chong Kneas and you are brought there by a small, guided engine boat up a channel and out on to the lake. The Chong Kneas sunset tour includes a trip to the Gecko Environmental Centre, a two-course dinner and unlimited drinks. The day tour includes the meal and ... Read more about Tara Riverboat .
Unlike its well-touristed sister, this is a stilted rather than floating village (you may see some floating rafthouses about the place). It's a very different place between the wet and dry season. The houses are on six-metre-high stilts, so in the height of the wet the water is close to the top, but in the dry, the village is, well, dry, and so the houses tower six metres above you. During ... Read more about Kompong Phluk .
It's massive -- the largest on the lake -- and around 10 times the size of Kompong Phluk. As with Kompong Phluk, the main livelihood here is fishing, but in a number of ways it is a more interesting village to visit. There's a large village temple and a good stretch of village can be wandered through, even in the height of the monsoon. Further afield you can continue by boat out to a meeting ... Read more about Kompong Khleang .
Motorcycle tours open up Cambodia in a way that nothing else can, creating a chance to explore the kingdom's rural life and culture as well as its countryside and wildlife along roads that can be otherwise inaccessible or ... Read more about Motorcycle tours .
Templed-out? You won't have been the first person to have been overwhelmed by the number of Angkorian ruins to take in. Angkor Silk Farm is just one of the antidotes available to help balance out the historical with the contemporary — it costs nothing at all to visit and we found it surprisingly ... Read more about Angkor Silk Farm .
Despite being lost in a hot and dusty corner of the world, Siem Reap is not short of indoor and outdoor running possibilities. It's just that the outdoor ones can be a little awkward in ... Read more about Marathons .
Fancy a night of joy, madness, music, dance and ginormous puppetry? Then keep an eye out for The Giant Puppet Parade, which happens every year around about the end of February/beginning of ... Read more about The Giant Puppet Project .
Siem Reap offers a much more intimate and personal cinematic experience compared to some of its ... Read more about Cinemas .


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Sunday Sweets: ...And Everything Nice
Rock-a-bye reader, on the laptop
did a week's worth of wreckage
make your jaw drop?
Your brain might be scarred,
with stunned disbelief,
so let today's Sweets
bring you blessed relief!
That's right, it's the sweetest-themed sweets of all: baby showers! Prepare for a mass cuteness attack.
Submitted by Jen C. & made by Sharon Wee Creations
I don't know how Noah's ark came to be synonymous with babies, other than all the animals supposed to be having babies, I guess, but it sure makes for an adorable cake! The rhinos are my favorite!
You know what else is adorable? Bears in a balloon basket.
By Sweet Tiers
"Ooh, Honey Bear, I just felt the baby kick!"
And speaking of kicks, check out the sweet pair atop this cake. I don't care how tough you are, if you cradle your hands around a tiny pair of baby shoes, you are going to squeal aloud. And if you happen to be pregnant and hormonal, you may also cry.
Sub'd by Julia D. & made by Johannas Tartor
Respect the baby shoe.
Sub'd by Nicole B. & made by The Cake Boutique
I love the different color vibe of this one. Minty green, deep chocolate and orange? How unexpectedly awesome! See, not all baby shower cakes have to be covered in pastel ribbons and roses.
But then again, you won't hear me complaining if they are! After all, this next cake is an explosion of pastel ribbons and roses, and it's amazing.
By Sweet Irene
And here's another be-ribboned beauty:
By Rosey Confectionery Sugar Art
Oh yeah, I'm firmly on the ribbon and rose wagon. Heck, I'm driving the wagon. This cake's so perfect and precise I can barely believe it was made by a human.
Now here's a cake sure to please any expectant mother about to 'pop!'
Sub'd by Tanya F. & made by Sugar Creations
But you probably shouldn't say anything like that to her, nor jokingly compare her size to a circus tent, or even innocently mention the word "elephant." When I was pregnant, my husband accidentally said 'cellulite' when he meant to say 'saline' and I didn't talk to him for five days.
But getting back to the cake: do take note of the little 3D detailing on the elephant's ears!
Owl bet you've never seen a sweeter little cake than this:
Sub'd by Cathy B. & made by Terry D.
This is too much for words. I'm sitting here with a goofy smile on my face, trying to absorb all the cuteness. Woodland creatures! A baby owl with his mommy and daddy! I want to push that knife off the table so nothing can ever harm them!
And because we can never have too many birds on cakes, or butterflies, buttons and balls... (um, let's just call them dots), and flowers for that matter, behold:
Love it. Sydney is a blessed girl! I hope they save her a piece!
And finally, this next cake makes me want to go back in time, become a rock star, have a baby, name that baby something trendy and nonsensical like "Pumpkin Drizzle Gables," and throw a baby shower with all my cool rock-n-roll friends, for no other reason than to roll out this super-star worthy cake:
Rock on, baby. ROCK ON.
Have a Sweet to nominate? Then send it to Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.


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I have a somewhat unhealthy addiction to eggs. In the past year, I was sometimes eating two or three eggs a day, just because they're so darn versatile and easy to prepare. (My doctor hasn't said anything about this habit...yet.) Breakfast? Scrambled eggs with salt and pepper. Lunch? Omelet with mushrooms and onions. As for dinner...well, you know how everyone has that secret, fool-proof, but embarrassingly unattractive dish they make when eating alone? Mine is a fried egg, still runny in the middle, slathered with oyster sauce, and plopped into a bowl of reheated rice.
Photogenic? No. Delicious? Quite.
A few days ago I decided to make a few days' worth of eggs in one go, that can be reheated and eaten with rice or other sides at a later, lazier time. I then remembered what my mom used to do on weekends to prepare for a week of after-school snacks. On Sunday nights, she would just simmer hard-boiled eggs in a soy sauce broth with some sugar and ginger slices added in. I would eat one immediately out of the pot, and on subsequent days the rest would be scarfed down straight from the fridge or warmed in the microwave.
Soy sauce eggs are even easier and faster to prepare than the gorgeously marbled Chinese tea eggs, and just as satisfying. Just remember to save some of the braising liquid to spoon over the eggs. I suggest serving this with rice or noodles (instant ramen is a personal favorite), maybe with some store-bought kimchi on the side. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
What's your own favorite, quick way to prepare eggs?
Soy Sauce Eggs
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2-inch knob ginger, cut into thick slices
- In a medium pot, cover the eggs with about 1-inch water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, until the eggs are hard-boiled.
- Remove the eggs with a strainer and run until cold water until they are cool enough to handle. Peel the eggs and set aside.
- In another medium pot, combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and ginger. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the eggs, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for about 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally so all sides can get evenly colored. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the braising liquid for another 30 minutes to absorb more of the flavor and color. Transfer the eggs to cutting board, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of the braising liquid for serving. Discard the remainder or save it to flavor your rice or noodles.
- Slice each egg in half and arrange on a plate or in a bowl. Spoon the braising liquid over the eggs and serve, either alone or with rice or noodles.


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LG has begun mass production of flexible e-ink displays.
The new plastic display has a resolution of 1024x768 and is six inches across the diagonal, which is comparable to the Kindle and Nook. Because it's made of plastic and not glass, though, the LG display is half the weight (14g) and 30% thinner (0.7mm) than a comparable, glass e-ink panel. Existing e-book readers need to be thick (and heavy) to protect the glass display, but LG is promising that its display is a lot more rugged. The press release says that the plastic display survives repeated 1.5-meter drop tests and break/scratch tests with a small hammer, and that it's flexible up to 40 degrees from the mid point.


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March 30, 2012 -- AuntMinnie.com presents the third in a four-part series on overcoming work-related musculoskeletal issues for sonographers by Doug Wuebben, a cardiac sonographer, along with Mark Roozen, strength coach for the National Football League's (NFL) Cleveland Browns, and Joel Raether, strength coach for the National Lacrosse League's (NLL) Colorado Mammoth. Parts 1 and 2 can be found here and here.
As highlighted in part 1 of our Scanning in Pain series, the combination of proper movement patterns, ergonomic aids, strength training, and flexibility improvements can enable sonographers to attenuate injury and improve career longevity.
In part 2, we began our discussion of the 10 sonography sins that can lead to chronic injury as defined by Carolyn Coffin, of consulting firm Sound Ergonomics, in an April 6, 2010, article on AdvanceWeb. In combination with the ergonomics advice from Sound Ergonomics, we shared some quick and simple movements that can add longevity and pain-free scanning to your career. We'll now continue with sin No. 3.
Sin No. 3: Excessive neck flexion and extension
Ergonomic aid: Position monitor with the top of the screen at eye level.
Performance aid: Flexion is a position that is made possible by a joint angle decreasing. The bones and connective tissue and muscular systems work together to move the joint into a "flexed" position. For example, the trunk may be flexed toward the legs or the neck to the chest -- think taking your chin and touching your chest.
The opposite term is extension, or straightening. Flexion decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at a joint, and extension increases it. A simple way to increase stability and strength in the neck is to perform a few basic isometric exercises, which involve muscular contraction against resistance when the length of the muscle remains the same. In other words, you make the muscles work, but nothing moves.
Strength movements
The following are isometric exercises that strengthen the head and neck extensor muscles:
As you improve, you can increase the intensity of the exercise by doing the exercise longer or adding a third set, building up to four.
General note: If you have any type of injury, neck pain, or joint problems, consult with a physician before doing these or any other type of neck exercises.
Stretching movements
Sin No. 4: Twisting your neck
Ergonomic aid: Position the monitor directly in front of you.
Performance aid: Twisting the neck can cause tightness in the shoulders and up into the traps, the muscles from the shoulders, up the neck to the skull. Lateral flexion is sideways movement of the spine, as occurs when the neck moves toward the shoulder. By taking the time to do a few simple movements, the ability to maintain mobility and strength in the neck can yield huge benefits when the need to twist the neck arises.
Strength movements
Sin No. 5: Twisting your trunk
Ergonomic aid: Position all equipment and the patient to minimize your need to twist.
Performance aid: Our "trunk," or in fitness circles now called the "core," is where all movement in your body begins. Trunk/core exercises should be a major part of an exercise program. To assist in allowing the body to twist and rotate with no problems, it's vital to get your trunk/core muscles in better shape. To do this, we want to make sure we understand what the trunk/core is, and then we'll show how to strengthen it and increase range of motion through stretching.
Your body's core is referred to as the structure around your trunk and pelvis. By building a strong trunk, we increase protection around the areas and offer stronger "bracing" for your back. We also increase control of movement, get a more stable center of gravity, and build a more stable platform for movement when we have to exert additional force, such as helping to move a patient.
When you have good core strength and stability, the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen work together to allow movement in multiple planes and with multiple loads. An in-shape trunk/core gives support to the spine for almost all movements and activities. Without proper strength, the trunk/core can lead to bad posture, which, in turn, can lead to aches and pains or worse ... injuries.
The band rotation exercise will develop strength, endurance, and power in the core. For equipment, you'll need some tubing, or you can also use a cable machine found in most gyms (as shown in the photo). The body movement is the same (figures 7A and 7B).
To start, hook the tubing on a secure attachment and grab the handles of the tubing at about shoulder level. Your feet should be approximately shoulder width apart. For more stability, you can take a slightly wider stance. Keep the knees bent and torso upright.
Step away from the tubing attachment to create tension. Remember, the farther away you stand, the more tension will be on the band, and the harder the exercise will become.
To start the exercise, rotate your shoulders and hips in the direction opposite of the tubing attachment, pulling the arms across the front of your body. Do not keep your heels on the ground during rotation; doing so can cause shear forces in the back. We want to strengthen the muscles in the trunk/core, not cause injury to the spine.
Continue to rotate at a controlled speed until the shoulders are completely rotated in the opposite direction, and your hands are on the opposite side of your body. Return to the starting position and repeat for eight to 12 repetitions. Turn around, switch to your opposite side, and repeat for the desired repetitions. Start with one set and build to two to three sets.
The back rotation stretch can be done in a chair. First, sit back in a chair and face forward. Cross your right leg over your left, and put your left hand on your right knee. Now slowly and gently pull toward your left side with the left hand, while slowly turning your head and shoulders to the right.
Keep rotating as far as possible, with the goal of being able to turn until you can see over your right shoulder. You will feel a stretch in your lower back and through the muscles along the side of the body. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Relax and repeat on the other side. Start with one set and build to three times on each side (figure 8).
Sin No. 6: Bending your trunk
Ergonomic aid: Adjust the height of the exam table or stand to avoid bending over.
Performance aid: Just like flexion and extension of the neck, moving the upper body forward or backward creates flexion or extension in the upper body. In most cases, we are talking about bending forward: reaching over something or someone to get something or get into a better position to do a task.
Toned and flexible muscles are the spine's best defense against injury. Performing exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the spine can prevent, reduce, and even eliminate back pain.
Strong abdominal muscles (stomach muscles) are just as important to develop as strong back muscles. Having a balance of strong abs and a strong back is vital for supporting the lower back and preventing lower back pain. Even having strong legs might assist in preventing back injuries, in the case of lifting and other movements, where the load can be carried through other parts of the body and not just the back.
Flexibility is also important when we are looking at problems from bending of the trunk. Tight muscles can cause alignment problems and back pain. Stretching exercises lengthen shortened muscles and help the body maintain proper position, which, in turn, helps to relieve back pain. Tight muscles in the back, buttocks, hamstrings (back of thigh muscles), or quadriceps (front of thigh muscles) can affect alignment.
The reverse crunch is a lower abdominal exercise that is done on the floor. Lie flat on your back with your feet in the air. Bend your knees to 90°. Place both hands under your buttocks for support and make sure your lower back remains flat on the floor (figure 9A). Tightening your lower abdomen, try to lift your buttocks a few inches off your hands. Hold for a moment and lower back down. Start by doing five to 10 repetitions.
Build up from one set to two to three sets. You can also vary the intensity of the exercise by making it harder -- placing your hands on your stomach or the floor (figure 9B) -- or you can make it easier by lifting one leg at a time (figure 9C).
The alternating Superman exercise is great for the lower back, and it can also work other areas of the body from the legs to the shoulders and arms. To start, lie face down on a mat on the floor, with your arms stretched above your head (like Superman flying). As you raise your right arm, also lift your left leg about five to six inches off the ground (or as far as you comfortably can). Hold this position for three to five seconds and then relax.
Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Again, start with one set of five to 10 reps per arm and leg. As you progress, you can add additional sets to the exercise, building to two to three sets (figure 10).
In our final edition of Scanning in Pain, we'll cover the remaining sonography sins.
Doug Wuebben is a registered cardiac sonographer who performs adult and pediatric echocardiograms in South Dakota and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Mark Roozen is a strength coach with the Cleveland Browns and also the owner and president of Performance Edge Training Systems (PETS). He can be reached at email@example.com.