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From our desire to offer another refreshing, informative, and exciting tour, came the 7 waterfall descents at Las Cascadas Lodge.
All Las Cascadas Lodge trips are leave no trace & zero impact
We only use natural features for anchors without the use of cables!
Safety Equipment Provided
Modern Helmets (required at all times), state-of-the-art harnesses, special neoprene shoes, spray/splash jackets are provided for below the falls where it is wet and windy.
Olvin and Mey are the local guides who grew up in the Cangrejal River valley and know all of the plants, animals, and the trees. The jungle is a exotic place often quite different than what guests are used too. It is always recommended that participants follow all of the guide's instructions.
Flora and Fauna. Hardwood trees, orchids, sometimes monkeys, iguanas, snakes, pizote, small cats, and lots of birds. More birds than anything in the forest. Perhaps the most interesting resident is the Sun Bittern who's closest relative resides in Polynesia. Direct evidence of continental shift. (lots of photos on the net)
Cayman relief and adventure
Our Cayman Island guests want adventure and so we offer this very unique tour! Cayman is flat, and everyone who lives there needs a break a few times a year to see mountains, greenery, and feel the fresh water.
After, or before Diving in Roatan
Take a break before you fly... local airlines fly from Roatan to La Ceiba below 2000 feet and the cabins are not pressurized. Depending on the amount of diving you are doing general wait requirements are between 12 and 24 hours before taking your International flight. Las Cascadas Lodge is a great compliment to any dive vacation on Roatan or Utila Bay Islands.
Take the easy 15 min flight over from Roatan and spend a night or two and make the waterfall descents tour.
All year round there is water in the falls and pools. The most exciting activity in the area apart from rafting. High water lines in the rainy season are fun and exciting. At low water during the summer months you can get into the falls more and stay wet and cool the entire time.
Scrambling, jumping off rocks into pools, abseiling (rappelling), hiking.
Safety rules and standards
Ages 14 and up, with physical prowess. Max group size and why. We are looking for guests who are willing and able to follow very specific instruction and do not have too great a fear of heights. Being of decent balance and steady on your feet is a must. Trust in the equipment is also very important. English and Spanish spoken.
The maximum group size is 5
We have equipment for more however the wait time at each falls becomes a bit too much with more than 5. For larger groups we usually recommend doing two starts times/tours..
The valley is known for Fer De Lance snakes and a few other varieties that don't like being stepped on. Participants MUST always follow a guide and not branch off on their own. The snakes are cool to see however it is always best to have the guides see them in advance so you can watch and approach safely.
Photos are provided by the staff
We will bring along camera equipment so you can keep your hands free for balance etc.
If you want to bring a phone with camera along we can provide space in a dry box and one of the guides will take photos along the way for you. Go Pro's are nice however fog easily and seem to be preferred as a handheld video camera from above or below the waterfalls.
We also have camera equipment and are happy to take photos for you if you want to leave your camera at Las Cascadas Lodge and safe away from water and chance.
At Las Cascadas lodge
While on flat ground at Las Cascadas Lodge, an explanation of equipment and form while descending. Following this everyone descends the lower falls right behind the hotel. This is our 'warm up' waterfall so people can try out the activity, and if they don't like it they can relax at Las Cascadas Lodge, or go along on the hiking portion and take photos of their family and friends.
After the lower falls descent
We take the trail 20 min up the mountain to the top of the Upper Falls (25m).
After the big falls
Everyone regroups and gets lowered one by one to the Upper falls pool. Professional jumpers can follow guides instruction and jump. The jump is very dangerous however with not very much room for error so we always recommend having the guides lower you. At the pool we take a group photo with the stunning waterfall behind you.
A guide leads the way scrambling and down climbing a section of about 100 meters and prepares guests to descend 'hidden falls' (18 meters). Hidden falls is a waterfall that is undercut so for half of the descent you are not able to touch the rocks with your feet and hang effortlessly in the air. Very cool.
The tour then goes in single file following a guide using hands, feet and even your butt to scramble along the steep creek for about 10 min. It is very exotic and untouched due to the steep terrain in this section and sometime white faced monkeys can be spotted.
The jump is next
A simple 12 foot drop into a pool. Diving is not recommended. At this point in the tour you can see a massive strangler fig tree which looks like something straight out of a science fiction film!
Some more down climbing and creek walking gets you to a rock ledge where the guides do a controlled lower on rope. Then the 'coldest' pool which entices giving the idea that you can wade through it but drops off and always feels a bit chilly no matter how hot it is!
Zig Zag waterfall
Another great spot for photos and your last roped descent controlled by you. After some belayed down climbing the group returns to Las Cascadas Lodge and the bar! Over 400 feet the tour drops back to the hotel.
Lunch options after the trip and bar
Las Cascadas Lodge is private for our guests however if you reserve in advance we can have a lovely lunch waiting for you and the bar available. Cooked to order and lots of options!
Rafting combo Omega Tours
If you are looking to get the most out of limited time in the area the rafting/waterfall descent combo lets you do both the rafting and the canyoning in the same day. Rafting starts at 8:30 returning to Omega Tours for lunch. After lunch the trip goes to Las Cascadas Lodge and on the waterfall tour. Hopefully returning before dark! This combination of tours allows you to see so much of the local area and rain forest.
Payments and tips, costs for tours and lunch
PayPal and cash $75 trip time from 3-5 hours depending on group size and abilities.
From local hotels and lodges in the Cangrejal River Valley is included. Shuttles from La Ceiba and the airport or ferry terminal can be arranged.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Guest post: The demise of Cyprus Airways
By Bernard Musyk
Cyprus Airways disappeared in mid January; the EU deemed a €102m state aid package received by the company as illegal, forcing the airline to return €65M. Unable to do so, the company was declared unviable and had its flying licence revoked.
During the last few weeks of Cyprus Airways' long life, I was surprised to hear from the Cypriot Finance Minister that 'the era of thoughtlessly throwing money at the carrier has passed' followed by a statement from the President of the Republic himself who said 'that we must factor in the cost to taxpayer of keeping a loss-making entity operational'. These courageous and unprecedented statements came at the eleventh hour and are now irrelevant. Cyprus Airways has joined the ranks of bankrupted state carriers like Olympic Airways, SABENA, or Malev and there is nothing one can or should do about it. The world still hosts many such state carriers subsidised and protected by their respective governments, but in Europe this is becoming more of a rarity since the freedom of the skies became a reality.
A few weeks before Cyprus Airways was closed down, the government of Cyprus purchased the name and logo of the ailing airline in the hope to find private investors willing to re-launch a Cyprus-based airline and possibly employ some the 500 or so employees that were going to loose their job. After the eventual collapse of the airline, the cabinet even allocated funds to hire consultants to prepare the grounds for this process of "privatisation of the defunct airline". This academic exercise was mainly intended for internal consumption, to give the chance to a populist government to "show that they cared" about those extremely well paid airline (government) employees who had just lost their jobs.
Before that, the government had been in talks with Ryanair, Aegean and several other airlines to discuss the sale of the national carrier. Here too, the idea was to score some political points by showing that the government was committed to a "national airline" that was going to "serve the interests of the country". Thus, the public at large was led led to believe that a strategic investor would want to pay money to purchase a grossly overstaffed and inefficient airline (facing an imminent closure by European authorities) because of the supposed value of a few bilateral agreements in the Middle East and a name and logo containing the word "Cyprus".
Would a new Cyprus-based airline not be able to thrive as 'Aphrodite Airways'? For all intense and purpose, Aegean managed to grow without being called 'Greece Airways' and in the end, it even absorbed Olympic Air!
In the immediate aftermath of the closure, while some politicians were still lamenting themselves about the loss of the state carrier, Aegean decided to expand its operational base in Larnaca and took the lion's share of the Cyprus Airways flights (Heathrow, Paris, Munich, Milan, Rome, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Kiev), Blue Air entered the popular Greek routes of Athens and Thessaloniki, and Transavia took over the Amsterdam line. The gaps left by Cyprus Airways were filled in no time and as time passes, talks of a new national airline become irrelevant.
Before EU competition policy ruled our skies, commercial airlines were regulated by bilateral agreements that gave monopoly powers to government owned airlines. In those days, fares were calculated by adding costs and a profit margin divided by the anticipated number of passengers and in case of losses public finances were called in. The deregulation of European skies was going to change all that; any airline registered in the EU was now able to fly anywhere within the bloc and this newly created large market helped the phenomenal growth of low cost airlines. Many flag carriers such as British Airways, Lufthansa or KLM managed to turn themselves into efficient privately owned legacy airlines; others were caught up with too many staff on the books, inefficient practices established during the monopoly years and the unconstructive participation of politicians and irresponsible unions. Many EU governments tried to hold on (for much too long) to these antiquated structures, wasting millions of taxpayer's money to avoid the political cost of letting their national airline go. Cyprus is a case in point, and the Maltese have been following suit.
Air Malta is now in its fourth year of a massive European Commission restructuring plan allowing state aid to the tune of €230 million aiming at reducing losses and employment to ensure the long term viability of the airline. It is the airline's last chance for long-term survival and profitability has to be restored by 2016. Times are hard for the airline, and amidst increasing competition in Europe the carrier has been strongly impacted by the closure of its Libyan route, Air Malta's most profitable route protected by a bilateral agreement between the two states.
Like Cyprus Airways, Air Malta suffered considerable interference by successive governments over the years; politicians shamelessly used it as a job centre for their clients, and governments have always been weak, ceding to excessive demands by the unions to maintain industrial peace. Back in the early 1990's the airline invested in new British designed Avro RJ70's aircrafts against better technical advise (Malta was lobbying the British government for support for its EU accession bid in 1992), it created the subsidiary airline Azzurrair, and when it was realised that the adventure of turning the tiny island into a hub had failed, this 'Avro Liners debacle' left Air Malta with losses of €150 million (Cyprus also had its own Hellas Jet debacle in the 1990s). Controlling costs has also been an impossible mission; like in Cyprus, Maltese pilots were enjoying employment conditions above industry standards, flying on average 600 hours per year compared to 900 hours for Ryanair (which is close to the EU limit). Today, whilst in in the middle of a restructuring plan, it has been reported that some 300 or so individuals have been hired by Air Malta.
In Malta and in Cyprus, clueless political appointees on the board of the airlines have pushed the national carrier to pose as a legacy airline, a low cost airline, a national airline and a tour operator all at once. This haphazard reaction to the terrifying competition faced by the national carriers led to significant losses in market share; when after accession the gates were open to low cost carriers (LCCs), the latter gained substantial market shares both in Cyprus and Malta. In Malta, the LCCs market share is now over 35% while in Cyprus Easyjet and Ryanair hold 8.5% and 7.9% of the market respectively. In fact, in Cyprus, the market is now dominated by Russian-based Transaero that holds a 10.9% market share compared to 10% for the defunct Cyprus Airways.
The Cypriot authorities and the airline top brass (including the pilots) had been naïve to believe that the flag carrier could survive the deregulation with its antiquated state company structure. Back in 2004, just before accession, at a time when Cyprus Airways was still at its best, politicians should have had the courage to privatise. Faced with newly opened skies, Cyprus Airways could have survived like any other restructured ex-monopoly carrier. Such policy would have benefited the budget but more importantly, it would have boosted the island's tourism industry substantially. Instead, those in charge preferred to continue wasting taxpayers' money to support a company that was condemned to disappear because it was ill equipped to face the fierce competition in the European skies. Surprisingly, successive Cypriot governments managed to play cat and mouse with the European Commission for a decade, finding all sorts of excuses (like subsidising fuel to fly around Turkish airspace) to pour money into the ailing carrier.
The Cyprus Airways debacle is a reflection of the Cypriot society and its partisan political system; weak politicians only know how to implement populist and ineffective measures that are shouldered by the taxpayer. Like for the collapse of its entire banking system, they always act too late when all has become irrelevant.
Bernard Musyck teaches Economics at Frederick University in Nicosia.


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It is a cool, dark and rainy day here in TX. I have a pretty empty fridge and no ideas for dinner. It feels like a soup kind of day, so after perusing various recipe sites online, I found this recipe. It met my criteria: 1. I was NOT going to the store for any ingredients and 2. It had to be fairly simple
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Corn Chowder
The recipe can be found HERE.
Due to my "no going to the store" criteria, I had to make a few changes to the recipe. Besides cutting the recipe in half, I also did not add turmeric, I used whole milk instead of half-n-half and used shredded parmesan cheese instead of cheddar. I also added chunks of ham to make it a full meal.
It's delicious!
Posted by lime at 3:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: soup
I have already posted a great Snickerdoodle recipe, but this one may just top the last one. This recipe was generously shared by my old roommate on her design/entertaining blog, Blonde Designs.
I love that the recipe does not call for shortening and the cookies are so, so moist! I made them for "Cookie Friday" last month. I, of course, tripled the batch and froze a few dozen--they were just as moist after thawing as they were fresh out of the oven. I love that!
Here is the recipe!
Posted by lime at 2:50 PM 0 comments
Labels: cookies
Friday, January 8, 2010
Chocolate Overdose Cake
Marc's all-time favorite dessert is this mousse cake. However, I only make it once or twice a year, due to the time and amount of chocolate involved. When I came upon this recipe, I knew it would rival the mousse cake. It does. WOW!
Chocolate Overdose Cake
(Annie's Eats found HERE)
Posted by lime at 8:12 PM 1 comments
Labels: dessert
Christmas Salad
While we were in Destin, FL for Thanksgiving, my friend Joy made this salad for our Thanksgiving meal. It was so colorful, festive and a great change to the more traditional salads I am used to. It brought a fresh & tangy flavor to an otherwise savory meal.
I am calling it a "Christmas Salad" due to the red & green colors, and the fact that I made it this year for our Christmas dinner.
Christmas Salad
(thanks Joy!)
proportions are as follows:
(but adjust according to total amount needed)
1 pomegranate, seeded
1 granny smith apple, diced
2-3 kiwi, sliced and cut into small pieces
Posted by lime at 8:03 PM 0 comments
Labels: salads
Chicken Chili Cheese Cups
For the past few years, we have gone to a friends house for a Christmas Eve nativity program, and appetizers/munchies. Everyone brings something to share, but the spread is usually heavy on the desserts/sweets. Therefore, I always try to bring something a little "heartier". Last year, I tried THIS recipe. This year, I made these:
Chicken Chili Cheese Cups
(familyfun.com found HERE)
My only change was done out of necessity. I couldn't find the pre-made phyllo shells anywhere! So I bought the phyllo pastry sheets, and just used a pizza cutter to cut squares. I then took about 3-4 sheets and tucked them into a mini-muffin pan and filled them. The shells came out crispier (which I preferred) if I did NOT use cooking spray.
Posted by lime at 7:45 PM 0 comments
Labels: appetizers
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Tu B'Shvat for the Plant Killer
There is no official name for people like me. Sure, I can say that I have a black thumb, or that what I do is involuntary plantslaughter, but those words are insufficient when I go through the list of plants I've killed.
Until I moved to Israel and then became a parent, Tu B'Shvat wasn't really a Jewish holiday on my radar. I chalk it up to the years spent at Yeshiva elementary school, when Tu B'Shvat meant wearing blue and white to school, dancing around the gym like a maniac with friends, and bringing home a white paper bag filled with dried fruit and nuts. I went to elementary school in the 80's, well before nut allergies were so prevalent. And, every single year, I fell into the bukser trap and allowed my friends to convinced me that bukser, a.k.a. dried carob, was actually chocolate. Try chewing that for five straight minutes, it definitely does not taste like chocolate. As I grew up, I decided to use Tu B'Shvat as another barometer on weather change. It was my Jewish Groundhog day, but swapping tree planting in Israel for Punxsutawney Phil.
I managed to get through my twenties before a plant entered my home. I dated men who were thrilled that I was anti-flowers, happy with my logic that I'd prefer not receiving a gift that would eventually die a smelly, messy death.
And then, three weeks after I moved to Tel Aviv, my friend Jeff bought me a cacti as a housewarming gift. It was squat and cute, with a little pink fake butterfly perched in the soil. I thanked him graciously, but looked at the gift warily. My knowledge of the cactus came from bad Hollywood films; I knew cacti grew and thrived in the desert, and that if you were dying of thirst you could cut the cactus in half and there should be water inside.
The cactus was dead within the year. I threw it out with a sigh and a prayer that it would be the last plant I kill. And then, I got married, had babies, and those babies grew up into children old enough to go to gan. Sure enough, that first Tu B'Shvat, my eldest daughter brought home a poor man's version of the chia pet and a bamboo plant. And, she absolutely LOVED her plant; she wanted to water it, and talk to it, and stand on the chair and watch it "grow" on the windowsill. She begged me to take good care of it, because she wanted to see the leaves grow and grow.
The anxiety began to build, but I decided to tackle the task of becoming a plant person and became excited. I could totally do this, or so I thought!
I did research online about how to care for this little bamboo plant, and even went to the local nursery to buy additional plants for the home. Everything I read said how plants in the home were so wonderful for air quality, and they look so cheery, and your home looks so warm and inviting. Photos of the "perfect" home always had clean floors and window plants, so I bought into the fantasy and tried my hand at caring for plants. In my mind, we would have planters full of herbs and flowers on the balcony, a potted lemon tree growing near the balcony doors in our dining room. I would grow parsley and basil, mint and oregano in my kitchen, and just pluck and use as needed. In the bedroom, a beautiful orchid plant in a shiny, elegant, black pot would be the centerpiece of the room. And, my daughter's bamboo plant, would grow and flourish on the living room windowsill.
Two years later, and there is no potted lemon tree in my dining room. A Weber barbecue and our Succah poles are the only items on our balcony. The parsley and basil, mint and oregano that were in my kitchen, turned brown and grew cobwebs. I over-watered the chia pet and hid the remains in my bathroom until she forgot it existed, and then I chucked it out with the evening trash. I never even bought the beautiful orchid for our bedroom. And my daughter's beloved bamboo plant died during a week long trip to Caesarea, because I forgot to ask someone to water it during our absence.
Regardless of my clear inability to care for plants, they just seem to keep coming into our home. And so during gan pick up yesterday, I forced a smile and feigned excitement as my daughter's ganenet showed off her Tu B'Shvat project. Another poor man's version of the chia pet, with a big red nose and glued googley eyes.
I chattered away about the holiday during our walk home; we sang those Tu B'Shvat songs, and then when we got home, I put my daughter down for a nap. I walked into our Mamad and surveyed my windowsill, at the cherry tomato plant that died weeks ago, its leaves now brown and wilted, drooping sadly over the side. At the planter full of Thai and Italian basil and parsley, half its leaves gone from use, the others beginning to turn yellow. And at the still thriving small oregano plant we got as a Chanukah gift from my brother and sister-in-law. In my mind, I bet myself on how many more weeks the oregano would last before it too, would get thrown out in the trash.
And, steadfastly, I made room on the sill for the plants that are still to come.


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Studio Squared: Drawn from Stone
Pronto Plate Lithography at the Studio Museum in Harlem
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Studio Squared is the Museum's series of informal art-making workshops aimed at making a wide range of studio practices accessible to adult audiences. Each workshop focuses on a particular theme and creative process inspired by our exhibitions and explores methods of creative production through an experiential approach.
Inspired by the printmaking practices exhibited in Circa 1970, this Studio Squared invites visitors to experiment with pronto plate lithography, an immediate and effective method for producing hand-printed work. Presented in partnership with the EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop (RBPMW), a team of skilled teaching artists will demonstrate the essential components of pronto plate lithography and guide participants through the production of their own 6" x 9" prints!


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A couple months ago I started thinking about going off my birth control pills. Not because I wanted babies, but because I was realizing that while I was trying my best to eat locally grown, natural food I was simultaneously pumping my body with hormones every day. It didn't make a lot of sense for me, and I was also noticing some other correlations between things that had started happening around the time I started the pill. My hair was feeling less thick and less curly than it was in pictures before I started the pill. I realized that my monthly/bi-monthly migraines started when I started the pill. And a few other things here and there had started around the time I started on the pill. Unlike a lot of women I've never experienced huge mood swings or health shifts with birth control, so it took a while for me to realize that it could be effecting me in less obvious ways.
I wasn't really interested in substituting one unnatural method for another, like an IUD, so instead I started putting some feelers out there (thanks social media!) for resources on natural methods of birth control. I knew that a few methods, like the Rhythm Method, were successful in creating unplanned pregnancy to the point where there's the old, "What do you call Rhythm Method users?" "Parents!" joke. I was hoping to find something more reliable and biologically based, and I was interested when someone mentioned the Fertility Awareness Method. I immediately went to the book store to grab Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which was recommended by quite a few people, both on twitter, and from local friends who have been using FAM. I read the whole thing in a few days and was thrilled to start charting my cycles and "detox" from the hormones I'd been feeding myself.
I know that everyone probably knows someone who used a natural family planning method as birth control, only to have it backfire in the form of an unplanned pregnancy, but for all those people, I've also heard tons of stories from women who have successfully used FAM as birth control for years. It's not as simple as popping a pill every night, it takes more thought and, well, awareness for it to be effective. I'm actually consistently surprised how many women I've talked to about FAM who have been using it successfully. Granted, I suppose birth control methods isn't really a typical topic of casual conversation. Still, perhaps the success stories don't get as much press simply because nothing happens if you use it properly, and if you slip up, well, there's a rather large, conversation-worthy consequence.
While creating new life isn't really on my list of things to achieve at the moment, I know that using this method for birth control actually sets me up perfectly for whenever we do want to have kids. Because I'll be aware of when my body is fertile and when it's infertile, we'll have a much better chance at conceiving. Or we'll at least know when the best time is to "try"! But the good news for me is that FAM has been shown to be 99.4% effective for avoiding pregnancy when used properly. Of course, FAM can't protect against any kind of STDs, so it should only be used in a safe, monogamous relationship.
I'm not really self aware when it comes to knowing why my body is feeling a certain way, or making correlations between symptoms and causes. I mean, it took me two years to figure out that there might be a correlation between my migraines (which I'd never gotten in the past) and the fact that they started becoming more frequent when I started Birth Control pills. That's one of my favorite things about this method. I get to know my body. I live in this body every day, I might as well get to know it! Women who chart are also very good at helping their doctors diagnose any problems because they know what it normal for their cycles. They can also pinpoint conception pretty precisely as well, since you also track when you had intercourse and whether or not you used any protection.
More than anything using FAM makes me feel empowered. It gives me ownership over my own body and my reproductive health. It pulls back this layer of mystery and confusion regarding reproductive health and fertility. It makes me angry that the stuff I'm learning through using the Fertility Awareness Method isn't taught in sex ed and health classes. I got the most cursory explanation of my menstrual cycle when I was in high school. You know, the classic, "Your body builds up layers in your uterus in preparation to create a baby and then when there isn't a fertilized egg, it sheds those layers and you menstruate." Okay great. I mean now I know why I have to buy tampons every month but there is so much more going on, and that knowledge is power.
Living in the age of, "there's an app for that" actually makes charting cycles super easy and quick. After looking at a few fertility tracking apps, I decided on using Kindara and I love being able to track right from my phone. I have my charts with me everywhere I go so I don't have any excuses for not charting. Plus, Kindara is just a beautiful app visually, which is a big reason I didn't use some of the other apps available which were confusing as well as eyesores. I really wanted something clean, bright, and easy to understand at a glance. With Kindara, I can also track other things throughout the month, like yoga or nutritional supplements, to see if they have an effect on my cycle and health. Since I charge my phone on my night stand, I can take my temperature while I'm laying in bed, then enter my temperature into my app right there, before I even get out of bed.
Since I was pretty brief in describing FAM, here are a few other articles about it for those who are interested. I would definitely recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It has tons of information, examples, and pretty much everything you need to get started with charting your cycles!
Ditching the Pill
The Atlantic
Osteopathic Family Physician
Taking Charge of Your Fertility
FAM FAQ's
cycle images via kindara


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Yellow eyes, Jacobs Cattle, Soldier, or Great Northern beans slowly baked with a chunk of salt pork; a little—not too much—molasses and sugar, dried mustard, an onion and enough liquid to keep them just barely covered is how Mainers make baked beans. It is a time honored combination, and we may find Mainers a tad dogmatic about it. How do I know?
About three or so years ago, I asked here in this column for baked bean recipes. They flooded in. I had heaps of them, veritable snow drifts of recipes. I was so overwhelmed that I crammed them into a file and cowered at my desk, simply not brave enough to tackle them all. Finally, earlier this winter, I opened the file and waded in. I dearly wish I could mention all the names of you who sent along recipes, along with your pieces of advice, but there is not enough room for them all. You know who you are, I hope. The recipe below is a distillation of your wisdom.
First, let's just say that Yellow Eyes won the most votes, if you will, for the best bean to use. In Maine, those come from State of Maine Beans in a two pound bag at most grocery stores. There were a smattering of Jacobs Cattle, Soldier Beans, Great Northerns, and a few will favor Marafax. A couple mentioned pea beans, but for the most part, Mainers like big beans.
Virtually all the beans called for molasses, in varying amounts in proportion to the beans, some very sweet with, say, half a cup to two cups of dried beans, others a half cup to two pounds of beans. Some called for added sugar. Just about everyone called for an onion and dry mustard, two teaspoons of which was, oddly enough, the most common quantity called for despite the amount of beans. Most recipes required salt pork, though there were a handful of vegetarian beans which used cooking oil.
So many of you mentioned bringing beans to pot lucks, family gatherings, church suppers, and told me how you have made baked beans for decades. Despite the fact that not many of us like leaving the oven on for hours (even at 250 or 300), very few of you opted for a slow-cooker which after all, is not truly baking them, but rather simmering them for hours. I usually wait until the outdoor temperature is going to dip into the teens or lower to bake beans which I do in my wood-burning cook stove, where without much effort the temperature stays at about 250 as long as I keep it stoked for warmth in the kitchen.
I am blessed with two bean pots, both with good lids. A smaller one holds one pound of beans very nicely, and a larger one is suitable for two pounds plus a little. That larger pot came from Owls Head, and I bought it at an antique shop when I was fourteen and on a family vacation to Maine. I have no idea why I wanted that pot. I certainly did not bake beans when I was that age, nor did I have an inkling that I would come to live in Maine nearly 20 years hence. The shop owner told me that an old lady used to bring that pot full of beans to suppers in town. I wish I knew who she was. I love and honor her pot.
Here then is the recipe for baked beans. Two pounds of beans produces about a gallon baked. I end up spooning some into quart containers to freeze for another day as home-made fast food. Don't forget the brown bread, the ham or hot dogs, and some pickles.
Looking for….Blueberry Bangbelly. From Deb, by email, came this question: "My husband has mentioned often about a recipe his grandmother, from 'The County", used to make that was called Blueberry Bangbelly." Deb reports that she has explored family recipes, local versions, even checked out Brownie Schrumpf for this recipe which sounds a lot like a cobbler, or slump. Nothing quite matches what her husband remembers "as a biscuit type crust with blueberry filling baked in an oblong pan, a.k.a. "Blueberry Bangbelly"! We'd love to hear from you if you have a recipe.
- 2 pounds of Yellow Eye (or other large dried) beans
- ½ pound salt pork
- ½ cup molasses
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Pinch of salt
- 1 medium onion
- Soak the beans overnight in water enough to cover generously.
- Next day, boil the beans until the skins peel back when you blow upon a spoonful.
- Preheat an oven to 250 (to bake for eight hours) or 300 (to bake for six hours).
- Put the beans together with the salt pork, molasses, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper and onion in a bean pot and add enough water to barely cover the beans.
- Put the pot into the oven and bake for six to eight hours, checking from time to time and adding water if beans on top look dry.
- Remove the lid for the last hour or so.


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The dust has settled on Mm. Dunham's débuts littéraires, and the consensus reached by the bourgeoisie petit du monde seems to be that the author is some kind child molester, possibly false-rape accusation statistic, and even a hack. Well don't worry, darling, it's nothing Bourgeois Woman hasn't been accused of in the many decadent years of her life. They're nought but jealous.
So, Bourgeois Woman read (and very strongly identified with) the text. Here's what she said about it.
Bourgeois Woman #wokeuplikethis.
In light of Dunham's "rumoured" advance of $3.7 million, Bourgeois Woman considers how she will spend hers.
Upon reading Dunham's mots immortels, "There is nothing gutsier to me than a person announcing that their story is one that deserves to be told, especially if that person is a woman", Bourgeois Woman wonders whether that includes the gutsiness of say, women who garner the courage necessary to risk their lives in order to leave abusive partners, or Black Americans who lay their bodies down before police officers who can murder them with impunity, or intelligence experts who continue to leak powerful information whilst living statelessly. No matter! She guesses it works as a convenient justification for Dunham's *less exciting* chapters.
Like Dunham, Bourgeois Woman too had a "lucky little girlhood." She too didn't have to "worry about much except what gallery to go to on Sunday" and whether or not her "child psychologist was helping with [her] sleep issues." But that doesn't mean Bourgeois Woman doesn't have anything valuable or interesting to say! Except that possibly there is not much to be said about a lucky little girlhood. She'd much rather learn what those fat cat producers said to Dunham behind closed doors, not what Dunham's favourite food was when she was five.
And speaking of food, golly gosh, all that dieting. Pssht! Lena, darling, don't worry: thigh gaps are gauche. Besides, where would a Bourgeois Woman keep her bottle opener were it not resting between valleys of heavenly flesh?
Bourgeois Woman is not sure why everyone is always saying callous and clinical things about sexual congress. Take page 103, where Dunham writes, "The first time I got naked with a guy, grotesque as it was, I was just so relieved he wasn't inhaling my naked scent or running his hands up my torso to the strains of Chris Isaak."
Well frankly, Bourgeois Woman believes that there ought to be a LOT more meaningful body odeur inhalation and Chris Isaak worship at the altar of lust. Just ask Bourgeois Boyfriend!
Bourgeois Woman and Lena Dunham identical in many (most!) ways. Except, that is, in the instance of menstruation. Where Dunham damns the institution ("the pain, the volatility, the feeling of utter despair") every time blood pours forth from her yoni, Bourgeois Woman is reminded of her Inner Goddess.
Inner Goddesses love scented candles.
God bless Dunham for writing that "It's a special privilege to be born into the body you wanted, to embrace the essence of your gender even as you recognize what you are up against." Bourgeois Woman would like to add that even more special is recognising the Inner Yoni Goddess Madonna Queen Beyonce that is essential in your gender. Your special extra femme essential gender!
Bourgeois Woman, too, remembers her childhood self as one who was "obnoxiously self-aware." Perhaps not, like, being aware of the self in a way that recognises its material impact on others and their selves, but a self is a self is a self is a self is a self! And like all good Bourgeois Women, she has carried this fortunate trait well into adulthood.
Bourgeois Woman is moved by displays of anxiety that focus on mortality. And what could be a more meaningful end to a book than one which reiterates the closing in of all ends (death)? But is death really the end, or is it actually the beginning?
Sometimes, when Bourgeois Woman is feeling special about the fact that no-one in her life has ever died tragically or unexpectedly, she wonders if the secret to a long and happy life is simply inherited privilege.
#blessed <3
Bourgeois Woman is a bon vivant and connoisseur, unlike her bolshie doppelganger Ellena Savage, who thinks and writes too much about selfies, selves, class, gender, and revolution.


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B. 1971, Baltimore, MD
2013 The Consumption, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2009 Pride and Fall, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2008 A Precious Passing: Negar Ahkami & Kyung Jeon, Miki Wick Kim Gallery, Zurich
2007 The Birth of Pattern, curated by Sara Reisman, LMAK Projects, Brooklyn, NY
2014 Aftershock: The Impact of Radical Art, Edelman Arts, New York NY
Look At Me: Portraiture From Manet to the Present, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2012 The Fertile Crescent: Gender, Art and Society in the Middle East Diaspora, Rutgers
University Douglas Library, New Brunswick, NJ and The Bernstein Gallery, Princeton
University, Princeton, NJ
The Rule and Its Exception, Leila Heller Gallery / Deborah Colton Gallery, Houston, TX
2011 Dis(locating) Culture: Contemporary Islamic Art in America, Michael Berger Gallery,
Pittsburgh, PA
WOMENARTISTS@NEWBRITAINMUSEUM, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
2010 East Meets West On The East End, Tripoli Gallery, Southampton, NY
Tehran-New York, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
Art Dubai, Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai, UAE
Iran Inside Out, Farjam Collection, Dubai, UAE
2009 Iran Inside Out, Chelsea Art Museum, New York, NY and Depaul Art Museum, Chicago IL
If I Didn't Care: Multigenerational Artists Discuss Cultural Histories, Richman Gallery, The Park School, Baltimore, MD
The Seen and the Hidden: (Dis)Covering the Veil, Austrian Cultural Forum, New York, NY
Selseleh/Zelzeleh: Movers & Shakers in Contemporary Iranian Art, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2008 Weaving The Common Thread, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
How Soon Is Now?: AIM 28, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
Firewalkers, Stefan Stux Gallery, New York, NY
East West Dialogues, curated by Dr. Layla Diba, Leila Heller Gallery, New York, NY
2007 Pink Polemic, Kravets/Wehby Gallery, New York, NY
Open Studios, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Workspace Residency Program, New York, NY
2006 Iconoclasmic, curated by Eddie Torres, Longwood Art Gallery, Bronx, NY
Wrest-stops Along the Intrastate, curated by Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt, Visual Arts Gallery, New York, NY
Do You Think I'm Disco, Longwood Art Gallery, Bronx, NY
Prime Time, curated by Amy Smith-Stewart, Visual Arts Gallery, New York, NY
A Delicate Arrangement, curated by Dan Cameron and David Zwirner, New York, NY
2005 Politics as Usual, Foreman Gallery, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY
2004 A Conversation, curated by Michael St. John, Marvelli Gallery, New York, NY
Simply Drawn, Luxe Gallery, New York, NY
2000 Le visage caché de la femme afghane, UNESCO, Paris, France
1999 Panj, curated by Nicky Nodjoumi, Center for Iranian Modern Arts, New York, NY
2006 M.F.A. Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts, NY
2004 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, ME
1997 J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC
1992 B.A. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Columbia University (Magna Cum Laude)
2013 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Space, Governor's Island, New York, NY
2007–08 AIM 28, Artists In The Marketplace, Bronx, NY
2006–07 Workspace, residency program of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New York, NY
2006 Ushio Shinohara Juror Award, ISE Cultural Foundation, New York, NY
2004 Partial Fellowship, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, ME
2003 Jentel Artist Residency Program, Banner, WY
Grigor, Talinn, "Contemporary Iranian Visual Artists: Street, Studio, and Exile." London: Reaktion Books, 2014
Pogrebin, Robin, "Contemporary Art In The Middle East – Rising Stars," Solo Mosaico, September 15, 2013
Honarpisheh, Donna, "Artist Spotlight: Negar Ahkami and the Whirlwind of Consumption," (2-Part Interview), Aslan Media, September 24, 2013 and September 26, 2013
Bilsborough, Michael, "From A Distance," SVA Continuing Education Blog, June 21, 2013
BBC Persian Arts: Interview With Negar Ahkami, July 1, 2013
VOA, Interview With Negar Ahkami, July, 2013
Brodsky, Judith K. and Ferris Olin, "The Fertile Crescent: Gender, Art and Society." Rutgers University Insitute for Women and Art, 2012
Kusnecov, Saskia, "Negar Ahkami Explores Human Neuroticism Through Her Art," Inside Beat (The Daily Targum), Oct. 11, 2012
Dube, Ilene, "The Fertile Crescent: Model of Collaboration," The Princeton Magazine, Oct. 8, 2012
Butera, Virginia Fabbri, "Politics, Society and Sexuality in Middle Eastern Feminist Art, "Ragzines.cc, Nov-Dec. 2012
Gold, Sylviane, "A Female, but Not Mainly Feminine, Eye," The New York Times, Jan. 7 2011
Buckberrough, Sherry and Nancy Noble, WOMENARTISTS@NEWBRITAINMUSEUM Catalogue, New Britain Museum of American Art, January 2011
Esman, Abigail R., "The Art of War: Why Today's Iranian Art Is One of Your Best Investments Now," Forbes.com, Jan. 10 2011
Baron, Jeff, "'A Bold Hand' Making a Mark in the Art World," America.gov, May 21 2010
Smith, Roberta, "Painting in the 21st Century: It's Not Dry Yet," (Image) The New York Times, March 28 2010
Flandrin, Antoine, "Le Voile Devoilé," Le Courrier de l'Atlas, March 2010
"Iran Inside Out: Influences of Homeland and Diaspora on the Artistic Language of Contemporary Iranian Artists," Catalogue, Chelsea Museum of Art, June 2009
Sontag, Deborah, "The Intersection of Islam, America and Identity," The New York Times, June 7 2009
"Close Reading: Negar Ahkami," Interactive Feature, nytimes.com, June 4 2009
Wei, Lily, "Selseleh/Selzeleh at Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery," ArtNews, Oct. 2009
Cotter, Holland, "Iran Inside Out," The New York Times, July 28 2009
Kino, Carol, "Iranians Shine, Assisted by Expatriate," The New York Times, Aug. 15 2009
Ebstein, Alex, "Her Stories: Group Show Presents and Examines Women's Voice and Identity," Baltimore City Paper, Feb. 18 2009
Davis, Ben, "Iranian Art Now," artnet.com, July 20 2009
Jigsawnovich, Julie, "Iran Inside Out at Chelsea Art Museum," persianesque.com, July 26 2009
Smith, Kyle Thomas, "July 2009, The Seen and the Hidden [Dis]covering the Veil," whitehotmagazine.com, July 2009
Walker, Carole, "Artists Use Images of the Veil to Explore Identity, Culture," payvand.com, Aug. 27 2009
Neuschler, Chris, "Iran Inside Out inside Chelsea Art Museum, New York," premierartscene.com, June 2009
Bigi, Emanuele, "L'arte contemporanea iraniana a New York, quando la cultura supera la politica," ilsole24ore.com, Aug. 11 2009
Seguin, Andrew, "In Calligraphy and Cobalt, a Painter Explores Persian Identity," chapin.edu, Sept. 16 2009
Passariello, Micol, "News: Arte Da Mille E Una Notte," Cosmopolitan (Italia), Sept. 2009
Riley-Lopez, Erin, "How Soon Is Now?," How Soon Is Now?: AIM 28 Catalogue, 2008
Smith, Roberta, "Artists Leap Into the Moment," The New York Times, July 25 2008
Torres, Eddie, "Iconoclasmic: Answering to a Higher Calling," South Bronx Contemporary: A Catalogue of Essays, 2007
Genocchio, Benjamin, "Exploring the Effects if Disco's Beat," The New York Times, Feb. 19 2006
Cotter, Holland, "Do You Think I'm Disco," The New York Times, Feb. 3 2006
Richardson, Denise, "Exhibit Mixes Politics and Art," The Daily Star, Sept. 15 2005
Turel, Noa, "Consumption & Being" and "The Disinformation Consumer: Recent Paintings," fortnight-kitchen.com, 2004
2012 Panelist, "The Fertile Crescent: Gender, Art, and Society in the Middle East Diaspora,"
moderated by Alison Bernstein, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University
Panelist, "The Fertile Crescent: A New York Public Library Book Event," New York, NY
Panelist, "Transnationalism and Women Artists in Diaspora," , moderated by Judith K. Brodsky and Julie Lohnes, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, New York, NY
2011 Panelist, "Dis[Locating] Culture: Contemporary Islamic Art in America," Andy Warhol
Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
Visiting Artist Lecture, Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ
2009 Panelist, "Iran Inside Out: Influences on Homeland and Diaspora on the Artistic Language
of Contemporary Iranian Artists," Depaul University, Chicago, Illinois
Panelist, "The Seen and the Hidden: (Dis)covering the Veil," Austrian Cultural Forum, NY
Visiting Artist Lecture, Chapin School, New York, NY
2008 Panelist, Artist Talk On Art, "Middle Eastern Voices of Change: Artists as Activists,"
moderated by Ayse Turgut, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Panelist, moderated by Prof. Shiva Balaghi, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2004 Panelist, "Culture & Power: an Artists Roundtable," moderated by Prof. Shiva Balaghi,
Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, New York University, New York, NY
2003 Panelist, "Popular Culture in the Middle East," moderated by Prof. Shiva Balaghi, Hagop
Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, New York University, New York, NY


text:
Alyx is an adventure guide and s'more connoisseur, bringing Los Angeles weekend warriors into the outdoors. At 26, she developed a severe case of wanderlust while recovering from back surgery. She has devoted her weekends to exploring her home state of California ever since and blogs about her experiences on ShoestringAdventures.com.
This year, her passion grew into a business, organizing weekend camping trips throughout California, from Death Valley to Joshua Tree and beyond. Shoestring Adventures is the antidote to #FOMO, a community where digital friends can connect in the outdoors.
Somewhere between blue skies, majestic mountains and a warm campfire lies the secret to Alyx's happiness. She is thrilled to return to CAMP this year as a counselor to get inspired by all of you!
Website: www.shoestringadventures.com
Instagram: @shoestringadventures


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13 Reasons Why Season 2 Report Card: Most Frustrating Twist, Worst Character, and More!Paul Dailly at . Comments
13 Reasons Why Season 2 is in the can, and there's no denying that it was a major misstep for the series.
With meandering storylines that served very little purpose to the overall arc, it was a hot mess.
Check out our report card for 13 Reasons Why Season 2 below!
1. Best Character
2. Worst Character
3. Best Acting
4. Most Beautiful Goodbye
5. Best Throwback
6. Saddest Development
Wait! There's more Reasons Why Season 2 Report Card: Most Frustrating Twist, Worst Character, and More!! Just click "Next" below:Next
- Show:
- 13 Reasons Why
- Network:
- Netflix
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text:
Review | Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser
Hello everyone!
I thought I would do a quick review of a new product that I have been using. It is the Damage Eraser Reconstructing Butter from Garnier Fructis. It smells really nice and the texture of the butter is very smooth on my hair. You apply this in between your shampoo and conditioner and leave it on for 3-5 minutes.
I am always looking for a product that can strengthen my hair because I have damaged it so much through dyeing. Fun fact: I haven't dyed my hair since LAST APRIL and I have actually been very happy with my hair color. This is the longest I have gone without dyeing it, but I can feel that I will break it soon... who knows what color I will try this time!
So anyway, back to this particular product. It claims to reconstruct hair's strength and I do have to say that my hair feels much healthier after only using this product for a week. I would recommend this product because 1) it is only $5 and 2) it smells good and 3) it works from my experience!
Have you tried this product or something similar? Let me know your thoughts :)


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Concept Design, Concept Validation, Audio Editing
Spring 2014
"How might ubiquitous computing enhance the experience of a live performance?"
Over the course of 1.5 months I worked with Jennifer Morioka and Kelly Rivers to conduct user research and design a concept piece. Encore is a bracelet with galvanic skin response and heart rate sensors to capture moments during a concert when the wearer has strong emotional responses. In developing this project, I was interested in exploring nostalgia, and how technology could help capture and enhance feelings of connection.
1. Participant observation
As part of our research, we attended a local Klezmer music festival as participant observers. Klezmer music comes from Eastern European Jews, and is strongly associated with Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants. In recent years, Klezmer music has experienced a revival among Jewish youth seeking to reconnect with their family's heritage.
From this experience we sought to explore how ubiquitous computing could enhance the nostalgia & emotional connection one has with a live music performance. We generated a multitude of ideas, ultimately narrowing them down to 6 for storyboards.
Our initial ideas were broad: would we deepen nostalgia through incorporating historical information about the music? situating new attendees next to those with lots of knowledge and emotional connection? or would we focus on memories with parts of the music itself?
2. Concept Validation
I created and illustrated 6 storyboards, which we then used to conduct speed dating with 6 participants. We were intentional about testing our concepts with a diverse group of participants: 3 elderly Jewish adults, 2 young Jewish adults, a 1 non-Jewish young adult.
From our speed-dating session, it seemed that people were most interested in the idea of a wearable device that would capture segments of the concert that were most emotionally powerful. However, some of our participants were Klezmer musicians, and were concerned about people being able to "take" music. In response, we incorporated a system where the bracelet would find the full song online (ie: iTunes) for the wearer to purchase.
3. Developing Use Cases
In order to demonstrate our concept, we developed three scenarios/use cases where Encore would add value to a wearer's life:
1. Capturing Emotional Memories
2. Sharing Your Experience with Others
3. Connecting to the Whole Song
We then wrote a script, took photographs and edited them, and I recorded the script and edited the audio to Klezmer music for the final video above.


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Prodigals, Famine and the Point of the Story/
We are all familiar with this story.
In Luke 15:11-32, we have the familiar story of the prodigal son, who demanded his inheritance and went off into a different land.
We know this story, where the son demands, takes, and squanders.
I thought I knew this story too.
In my third quarter in seminary, I wrote a paper on this parable, and glossed over an important part, an important part that other writers had noticed. These writers were from Africa, and these commentators put their finger on something I had glossed over.
The word λιμὸς ("famine") is used in 15:14. This word refers to famine, or hunger, or starvation. It speaks of deprivation, of rumbling stomachs, of a society that is known as barren and lost.
Paul uses the term in that famous "golden chain" in Romans 8, where he speaks about τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία ἢ διωγμὸς ἢ λιμὸς ἢ γυμνότης ἢ κίνδυνος ἢ μάχαιρα – "what will separate us from the love of Christ? Oppression or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
These are not distant realities in the ancient world. If there were a Palestinian Times or a Roman York Post, these realities would be front and center. Reports at 11.
Paul's intent is to assert the base obviousness of the world of destitution, that is, a world oppressed by Sin and Death, utterly unmoored from God and God's love.
Of course, Jesus does not tell us where this country is, or what it symbolizes. We can all imagine what kind of country he is using.
In ancient mythology, one could speculate that the famine is because of God's judgment. Or because of bad luck, or blind determinism or fate. In any sense, λιμὸς signifies those who are destitute, or hungry, or trapped in a situation that signifies the inevitability of death.
Luke tells us that after he had squandered everything, he was the first to be destitute (ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι). A foreigner, presumably, is the first person amongst the naturalized citizens to be without something.
To put it colloquially, the son "pissed away" his wealth, and then the entire country began to enter a famine.
In other texts in the New Testament, λιμὸς is often connected with the word for "nakedness" (γυμνότης), which drives home the image of being entirely without protection, care, or community (cf. 2 Cor. 11:27; Rev. 3:18). The adjective γυμνὸς occurs more often.
I don't make much, and Allison does not either. We make enough to eat, sleep and turn on the AC once in a while. But we have never been without something.
So this text is pushing the image of destitution, of communal despondency. As in, they did not give him anything (15:16). They had nothing to spare themselves.
Part of me really hates this prodigal son, particularly because of his wealth and seeming disinterest in his community. He looks like the type of rich kid who has everything he or she has ever wanted, and has never seen pain or sorrow.
Part of me is grateful they never have.
But the point of this story is not the son.
The point is the generosity of the father. The use of the aorist middle verb ἤρξαντο occurs both in vv.14 and 24, first on the lips of Jesus (the narrator) and once on the lips of the father.
This story is not about the prodigal who was first to be destitute in a strange and oppressed land, himself likely a figure of high status and caliber; rather it is about the father who describes his prodigal as ἤρξαντο εὐφραίνεσθαι ("first to be found").
This parable displays the character of the father toward the prodigal, who even though he squandered the life's wealth of the father, is still considered family.
He brings his son in, and clothes him, feeds him, honors him.
On the one hand, it feels simple, even trite.
But to those who have sinned in a catastrophic manner, it may mean the world.
To those who are hungry, a loving father is willing to still give, even after being taken advantage of.
It is not an act of grace; it is an act of Christ.
For those who are prodigals, in the midst of famine, sometimes Christ shows up even in the midst of parables written thousands of years ago.
Sometimes stories about pain, oppression and suffering are what is needed to paint a picture of a reality that is missed or forgotten.
The point of this story is not the son.


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|Can I Grow a SCOBY for KOMBUCHA?
What is a SCOBY? Well SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. So basically it is a culture. And in the case of a kombucha SCOBY, it is made up of yeasts that thrive on black tea and sugar.
If you have a friend who makes their own kombucha you may have a resource for some starter and a SCOBY, but after asking around all I got were blank or confused looks and questions like what IS kombucha and what IS a SCOBY. Next, I looked at my local health food store but I could not find a SCOBY there either. I know that a SCOBY and starter can be purchased online but my thinking (right or wrong) was maybe I grow my own SCOBY? Once upon a time I used to make make sour dough bread and I had to use a starter culture in my bread making. So, I figured that maybe I could make my own starter for my kombucha. If it can be done for sour dough bread starter, then maybe it can be done for kombucha.....of course not the same starter as used for sour dough bread, but a starter and SCOBY used for the making of kombucha.
So after doing a bit of research this is what I did to try to make my starter and to try to grow a SCOBY.
I sterilized a one half gallon Ball canning jar and the utensils that I was going to use.
Ingredients that I used:
6 cups (48 ounces) of bottled purified drinking water
one tablespoon of loose organic black tea
1/2 cup of raw organic sugar
one cup of GT's Original Raw Organic Kombucha (at room temperature)
I brought the water to a boil and added the loose black tea. I steeped the tea for about 10 or 15 minutes. I strained out the tea leaves and added the sugar while the tea was still hot, stirring until the sugar dissolved. I let the tea cool to room temperature. After the tea cooled I added one cup of room temperature GT's Original Raw Organic Kombucha. I did not put a lid on my jar, but instead I covered my jar with an unbleached coffee filter and secured it with a rubber band and then covered it with a cotton flour sack material (I got that at Walmart years ago). I will keep it sitting out on a shelf or counter where it does not get any direct sunlight.
SO, this is a test! An experiment! I am not sure how long it will take for my tea to ferment and for the SCOBY to grow. In fact, I don't even know if I will be able to grow a SCOBY. But I am giving it a try. If you are interested and want to grow your own, check back and see if I am successful. I will update this blog to let you know what happens!
I am keeping my fingers crossed! I am even whispering sweet little things to it as I pass by ......like......"hello my sweet little baby SCOBY " and "grow my little baby SCOBY, grow!" Not sure if it will help, but I talk to my plants too...... Yes..... I do.
******UPDATED 8/23/15: Yes, I was able to grow my own scoby using the above method! I have been happily making and drinking my own homemade kombucha ever since! As of today, August 23, 2015 I have two very full scoby hotels full of healthy scobys! Give it a try if you love kombucha and skip the nearly $4 per bottle cost by making it yourself!


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Aside from the poor tackling, which resulted in 33 missed tackles at North Carolina State and a renewed emphasis on wrapping up the opponent this week in practice, Jimbo Fisher remains positive when speaking about his beleaguered defense.
Fisher points to youth – primarily three members of the front seven rotation, linebacker Jacob Pugh and linemen Lorenzo Featherston and Derrick Nnadi who are true freshmen _ injuries and the adjustments that limited NC State the final three quarters.
The Wolfpack had 24 points and 214 yards the first 13 minutes Saturday and 17 points (all off turnovers) and 306 yards the final 47 minutes.
Fisher was pleased with defensive coordinator Charles Kelly's ability to adjust.
"What you got to do is identify the problem, don't complain, don't gripe," Fisher said. '"What's the issue and what's our plan? Here's the problem. What can we do and do we have the personnel to do it?' So we made the adjustments.
"They did a great job of coaching. He was ready he knew what to do he knew exactly where he was going with it. He had some good ideas from his assistants. That's your job. Take care of it."
Fisher often cites the struggles early last season, one in which the Seminoles steadily improved to become the most dominating defense in the country. The comparison, though, does not help this year's defense.
Through four games last season (Pittsburgh, Nevada, Bethune-Cookman, Boston College), Florida State allowed an average of 15 points and 287.5 yards.
Through four games this season (Oklahoma State, The Citadel, Clemson, NC State), Florida has allowed an average of 25.3 points and 403.3 yards.
Florida State is ranked 65th nationally in scoring defense, 76th in total defense, 77th in rushing defense (168.3 ypg) and 61st in passing defense (235.0).
Which leads us to the perfect remedy – Wake Forest.
If there ever was a week for this defense to regain its confidence it's this one. Wake comes to Doak Campbell with the worst offense in the Power 5 conferences and among the worst in the FBS.
The Demon Deacons are tied for 113th nationally in scoring offense (18.2 ppg), 123rd in total offense (230.2), 125th in rushing offense (29.2) and tied for 93rd in passing offense (201.0).
Additionally, Fisher believes with the exception of Nile Lawrence-Stample being lost for the season, the Seminoles are getting healthy with linebacker Ukeme Eligwe (foot) set to play for the first time this season, Mario Edwards (concussion) returning after missing a game and a half and cornerbacks P.J. Williams (hamstring) and Ronald Darby (hamstring) finally fully over their injuries.


text: Sushi Den Restaurant Bandung Posted by efratadenny on 21 June 2013 Posted in: Food, Photography. Tagged: Bandung, Foods, Photography, Photos, Sushi Den. 8 Comments I had lunch at Sushi Den Restaurant Dago. This is my favorite japanese restaurant in Bandung. If you are visiting Bandung, this restaurant is recommended. Very delicious. Advertisements Share this:FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailTumblrPinterestLike this:Like Loading... Related Posts navigation ← Choco Dodol Weekly Photo Challenge: The World Through Your Eyes →


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Key Trends Page 853
Median household incomes in the region, adjusted for inflation, declined 12% since 2000 but rose above the state median in 2010-14. The median household income in the region was $45,100 in 2010-14, compared to $44,600 in the state and $53,500 in the nation.
Household incomes varied greatly by racial/ethnic groups and educational attainment. African American and Hispanic residents earned less (median incomes of $25,700 and $33,900, respectively) than white and Asian residents ($46,500 and $63,400) in 2010-14. Adults with a bachelor's degree had median annual earnings of $44,200, while those with only a high school diploma earned about $25,900.
Since 2000, the region's poverty rate increased 4 percentage points, reaching 16% in 2010-14. This was even with the national rate and below the state rate. A fifth of the region's children were living in poverty, up from 16% in 2000. The rate of child poverty in 2010-14 was similar to the national rate and below the 26% statewide rate.
In 2010-14, 3% of the region's households received public assistance income, the same as in 2000. The state and nation both experienced decreases over the same time period (3.2% and 2.8%, respectively). Of the counties in the region, Knox had the highest rate (3.5%).
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Median household incomes in the 9-county region have not kept pace with inflation. In addition, incomes vary greatly among the region's racial and ethnic groups, with African-American and Hispanic residents earning less. The rates of people and children living in poverty have increased over the past decade.


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project 82 opens its doors
Welcome to Project82! We're thrilled to have opened our doors in Sydney's Surry Hills and wanted to give you a sneak peek at some of our products and our new store itself.
Of course, if you'd like to see each and every one of our wonderful pieces, simply head to 'Shop' and click. And if you're in the area, please feel free to drop in and say 'hello'. We'll be more than happy to show you through our beautiful store!


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The Maryland State Retirement System (SRS) provides eligible employees with a disability retirement annuity, as well as continued health insurance coverage, in the unfortunate event that serious injury or illness permanently prevents an employee from performing their job duties. Eligible employees include:
- Those employed by state agencies
- Public school teachers
- Public school administrators
To show eligibility, an employee must meet both length of service requirements and provide adequate proof of disability. If you need help filing for teacher and state disability retirement in Maryland Virginia, or Washington, DC, contact the disability lawyers at Andalman & Flynn today.
Determining State Disability Retirement Benefits
Generally, to be considered "disabled" under SRS, an applicant must establish that they are permanently unable to perform the duties of their job, not that they are totally disabled from performing any job. Similarly, to prove "permanent" disability, the applicant must show that the disability is expected to last at least one year, not forever.
The State of Maryland provides benefits for two types of disability retirements:
- Ordinary disability covers a permanently disabling medical condition.
- Accidental disability applies to a permanently disabling medical condition resulting from injuries sustained from an accident that occurred on the job.
All disability claims are evaluated by the SRS's Medical Board, which comprises a group of physicians with a wide array of medical specialties. Although an application for a disability retirement annuity may be submitted while the employee is still working and within four years of the date of separation (three years for members in a non-contributory pension system), SRS may only award benefits dating back to the date the application is filed.
Generally, the disability application process moves quickly and decisions are often issued within 90 days. However, if additional information is needed or benefits denied and an appeal filed, the process can take much longer.
How Our Disability Lawyers Can Help You in Maryland
It is important that you allow yourself sufficient time to make informed decisions about your disability retirement and meet the various filing deadlines. Contacting an experienced disability attorney prior to filing your application can improve your chances for success and a smooth transition from work to a disability annuity. An experienced disability attorney can assist in completing and processing your application, and in obtaining medical and vocational evidence necessary to prove your disability claim. We've been helping residents of Maryland, like yourself, with state disability retirement benefits since 1998. You can depend on our team to fight diligently throughout the entire legal process.
If you wish to speak with Andalman & Flynn about State Disability Retirement benefits, you can contact our office for a free disability consultation by calling (301) 563-6685, or toll-free at 1-888-558-7871. You also have the option to contact us online and one of our trained professionals will get back to you to discuss your claim and see what we can do to help!


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How To Use Clip In Extensions
The other week the ever so talented stylist Alex from AveStyles.com got ahold of me because she needed me for some of my hairstylist skills. Irresistable Me hair extentions had given her some luscious long locks to play around with and she needed a bit of help. I immediately jumped on the opportunity so that I can help my girl out as well as I got to see her pretty face.
Clip in extensions are pretty easy to use, but if you don't have a professional blend them with the right type of layers they can look pretty choppy and lets get real…they can look cheap. Theres nothing worse than a bad weave my friends. Now, Alex has natural curls to die for but her natural curls are really hard to replicate. So we gave her a smooth blow out and skimmed over with an iron before putting the extensions in.
When applying these types of extensions, its important to tease the hair at the root where you are wanting to clip the extension to. This will prevent the clip from slipping off of the root area and really help to secure it into place.
I then added some light texture and seamless layering to her hair to help blend her layers she already had in her hair. Didn't it look amazing? Alex is so cute and can do no wrong, but it was fun seeing her with smooth long hair for the first time.
Alex has always dreamed of long locks but she kept it realistic and since her hair is above shoulder length, and so after a consultation we decided to cut the extensions a couple of inches past her collar bone. Doesn't it look awesome??


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Sri Lankan hotels have two types of plug bases; either the UK (Type G) or India (Type D).
Note: You will probably need to get an adapter for your devices. It's pretty easy to get "all-in-one" adapters that you can use to plug your device's power chord into before plugging into the power supply.


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My Pin: Glowstick Fun from Teaching Tots
My Project: Glow In The Dark Tubby Time
I Tried This: January 2014
My Alterations: We just happened to have a chem light (read: Army glow stick) lying around from Andrew's last trip to the field, so that's what we tossed into the bathtub.
My Thoughts: There was no way this wasn't going to be cool. Crack a glow stick, toss in the tub and turn out the lights? It's like an instant party! At first, Madeline was a little confused. 18 months, and NOW we switch up tubby time? But after the briefest of hesitations, she was totally into it. She waved the stick around underwater, waved it in the air and held it under the running faucet. This was a great little stunt for prolonging an early tubby before bed.
I imagine as she gets older, the fun will increase as will the TSIT (time spent in tub). Next time, I'll pick up some colorful dollar store glow sticks. And for added fun, I think I'll try adding some bubble bath, too!


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This is OnCue Staging – Beyond Event Production
Creative Services
OnCue Staging employs expert staff to develop technology and a creative plan that works within your budget, delivers big impact and meets your goals. OnCue selects equipment to meet your specifications and to design a one-of-a-kind stage set for your event.
Event Production
OnCue Staging's experienced team will create an event that will impress your audience from the start. We deliver message and theme development to graphic design and production. OnCue also offers speech writing and coaching, on site speaker support, show flow development, music programming, video production, special effects and much more.
Pre-Event Management
OnCue will educate you about the best technologies to use to achieve your vision and how to take your audience beyond their day-to-day and get the "wow" that they wanted. Before your event, OnCue Staging will develop computer renderings of your room layout including seating arrangements, stage positioning and lighting/audio/video rigs. We will also specify the right gear, quality check it prior to your event and again upon arrival. OnCue will provide you ease of mind, and we'll work within your budget.
On-Site Event Management
From the moment we step foot on the venue site, the OnCue team is completely focused on your event and your event alone. At your venue, OnCue Staging manages the load-in and set-up process for you. Prior to arrival, we develop a plan to ensure little or no overtime labor, so you can relax and focus on other aspects of the event. Once the room is set-up, we run your rehearsal and work with your VIP speakers to ensure they are comfortable on stage with their audio, the graphics from their presentations and provide any other needed support. After the event, we manage the load-out process for you as well.
Post-Event Management
After your event, OnCue Staging will supply you with final presentation files and a final budget along with show recordings, if requested. We also schedule time to hear your feedback and brainstorm on how to make your event even better the next time.


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Philosophy and Ethics of Social Reality
I just ran across an interesting conference announcement, SOCREAL 2010: Second International Workshop on Philosophy and Ethics of Social Reality. The conference summary is:
In the past two decades, a number of logics and game theoretical analyses have been proposed and combined to model various aspects of social interaction among agents including individual agents, organizations, and individuals representing organizations. The aim of SOCREAL Workshop is to bring together researchers working on diverse aspects of such interaction in logic, philosophy, ethics, computer science, cognitive science and related fields in order to share issues, ideas, techniques, and results.
Topics will include:
- Language (or communication) as part of social reality
- Speech acts (or communicative acts) as what shape social reality
- Moral commitments (and conflicts) in social interaction
- Logic and game theory as tools for studying social reality
- (Organized) collective agency
- Norms and normative systems
- Social institutional facts and their dynamics
From my own perspective, presently, software agents operate at a rather primitive level with little more than basic data transfer and simple control, but eventually software agents will evolve into intelligent agents whose activity is more in the line of social behavior, including ethics and the behavior of groups and even organizations and institutions of software agents. And, of course, software agents are acting as agents for other entities, whether computational, or human. There certainly is a lot of ground to be broken. It is at least heartening that people are beginning to scratch the surface of the potential for social reality of computational entities.
Eventually, somebody will realize that these social agents are communicating in a language and that language has semantics and that there is a potential for a great semantic abyss between the various communities of social agents, as well as a vast semantic abyss between these computational agents and their real world "masters".
Great challenges and great opportunities.


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Contributed by Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain
July 4th is Independence Day. On this date in 1776, the United States declared their independence from British rule. This caused a conflict. Britain refused to allow the American colonists' freedom from oppressive taxes, freedom of the press, and freedom to govern themselves. The American colonists wanted to be free. A conflict ensued which the American colonists won. Independence through conflict.
Since the beginning of time there has been another conflict brewing: The conflict between God and Satan. Genesis 1 tells how God created heaven, earth, vegetation, animals, and man and woman. He also created the angels. Ezekiel 28:13-16 tells us of Lucifer (Satan), his creation as a perfect angel, his beauty, his residence in Eden. Isaiah 14:12-15 tells of Satan's rebellion against God. Revelation 12:4 tells of one third of the angels who followed Satan's rebellion. Satan has been in conflict with God from the beginning.
Genesis 3 brings us the first confrontation. God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan comes to Eve and tempts her with the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. She takes the fruit, eats it, and gives it to her husband Adam. Adam knew what God had commanded and chose to ignore God. The first sin. An animal is sacrificed and blood atonement is made for Adam and Eve. God has given men and women a free will to choose to follow or reject Him.
Genesis 3:15 tells us of the coming redeemer, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to be the once for all sacrifice for man's sin.
This conflict is playing out for the souls of men and women. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12,
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." This is Satan and his fallen angels (demons) in conflict with men and women.
Who wins? God does at the cross of Calvary.
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:10)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Whose side of the conflict are you on? Whose would you like to be on?
Contact me:
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, firstname.lastname@example.com, (907) 715-4001


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Episode 9 of Painted Porch is up. This month's interview is with political scientist Michael Baranowski. Listen to it tonight or tomorrow while you're waiting for Good Fortune to arrive this Thursday. My favorite part of the episode? Greg's wonderful list of lessons from the often skipped Chapter One of the Meditations. Read the full list here.
Complete show notes are over on PaintedPorch.org.


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Tangled Concept Art
Tangled is a computer animated musical fantasy-comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.
It is based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in the collection of folk tales published by the Brothers Grimm. The film tells the story of a lost princess with long magical hair who yearns to leave her secluded tower. Against her mother's wishes, she enlists the aid of a bandit thief to take her out into the world which she has never seen.
Before the film's release, its title was changed from Rapunzel to Tangled, reportedly to market the property as gender-neutral. Tangled spent six years in production. The film employed a unique artistic style by blending features of both computer-generated imagery (CGI) and traditional animation together, while utilizing non-photorealistic rendering to create the impression of a painting. The Rococo paintings of French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
Glen Keane wanted the film to look and feel like a traditional hand-drawn Disney film in 3D.
Due to limitations in computer technology, many basic principles of animation used in traditionally animated movies had been absent from earlier CGI films; but technological advancements have made it easier to blend the two, combining the strengths of each style.
One of the main goals of the animators was to create movement that mimicked the soft fluidity of the hand-drawn art found in older Disney animated films. Keane credited Disney 3D animator Kyle Strawitz with helping to combine CGI with the traditional hand-drawn style. using subsurface scattering and global illumination and all of the latest techniques to pull off convincing human characters and rich environments.Rather than focusing on realism, the 3D team used an aesthetic approach.
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Bloomberg says marathon just became too 'divisive'
Mayor Michael Bloomberg explained his decision to cancel the New York City Marathon at a press conference at City Hall this afternoon.
"It became a source of dissension and we don't need that right now," the mayor said, when asked what had changed between Friday morning, when he maintained the race should go on, and Friday evening, when he officially canceled the race.
Story Continued Below
"The spirit of the race is to bring people together," he said. "When it became a divisive issue, i just made a decision that it should not go on."
Bloomberg postponed a question about the marathon until the very end of the press conference, which was called to update New Yorkers on the city's recovery from Hurricane Sandy. He was joined by two secretaries from the Obama administration, Kathleen Sebelius of Health and Human Services, and Shaun Donovan, Bloomberg's former housing secretary, who now serves the same function for the president.
The mayor said that two more deaths had been reported overnight—bringing the death total to 42—and that the greatest threat right now to those still suffering from the effects of Sandy, especially those in parts of Staten Island and the Rockaways, was the coming cold weather and the possibility of hypothermia, though he said no cases had been reported yet.
Bloomberg also said the Long Island Power Authority had "not acted aggressively enough" to restore power to its customers in the Rockaways.
"We think they should be first in line," said the mayor, who visited the area on Saturday morning, adding the current progress was "not acceptable."
He said gasoline was beginning to flow through the main pipeline into the city, with 100,000 barrels delivered yesterday, but that "it might take awhile" for residents to see the effects at their local service stations.
Earlier in the day, a program by Governor Andrew Cuomo to dispense free gasoline in parts of the city was scrapped, when the massive lines descended into chaos.
Bloomberg also said the damaged crane on West 57th Street had been successfully tethered to the building, and that the street will re-open tonight.
The mayor was also asked about potential problems with voting on Tuesday. The Board of Elections plans to set up certain outdoor voting sites in damaged areas, but there are concerns about whether it will have the fuel to run its own generators.
"We all have the same problems and we have to work through it," said Bloomberg, who has been a frequent critic of the board. "Hopefully their staff knows what they're doing."
"We'd be happy to help," he added, "but we don't run the Board of Elections, which is the frustrating thing."


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Just for couples
At the Oasis Spa at Couples Resorts, you'll find award-winning treatments and services for both of you.
Couples Massage
Lie side by side on the beach and enjoy a full-body Swedish massage. Unwind and relax together as you enjoy the soothing and indulgent effects.
50/80 minutes
Couples Seaweed Body Wrap
Thalassotherapy is the application of seaweed in a complete bodywrap. The treatment puts you in a warming cocoon to relieve stress, combat hard-working muscles and leave you feeling great. Top tip: Have a shower together afterwards to complete the experience.
50 minutes
Couples Body Scrub & Polish
Get good as new with our exclusive body scrub and polish treatment. It leaves your skin baby soft and then we apply an aromatic blend of botanical herbs and spices to bring your skin back to its natural balance.
50 minutes
Couples Manicure & Pedicure
Our his and hers manicures and pedicures are legendary and luxurious. As well as leaving your hands and feet in top condition, our experts will then pamper you with fine oils and cooling gels to finish off the experience. And what an experience it will be.
75 minutes


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Tuesday, December 13, 2011
I'm guest posting at Under the Table and Dreaming today! Yay! You can find my brand-new tutorial for handmade embroidery hoop ornaments there.
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No available for Windows and Mac OS X! very cool and works great
Firefox 1.0
The best browser by far, and as a bonus it runs in Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. See my next post regarding Extensions
What can I say, one mouse and one keyboard and I control my Desktop/Dell Laptop/PowerBook talk about screen overload :)


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To identify a rock, it is necessary to consider its luster, color, hardness, cleavage and density. The geographical location of the rock should also be used to help identify it.
Rocks are typically classified as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. Igneous rocks can be either igneous-volcanic or igneous-plutonic. It is necessary to examine the overall appearance and hardness of the rock to determine which group the rock belongs to. For example, igneous-volcanic rocks are typically less dense than other rocks as a result of the many air holes present in the rock. Sedimentary rocks often appear to have many particles, whereas igneous-plutonic rocks are a solid mass that is smooth in texture.
The hardness of the rock also provides information on its classification. Limestone, for example, is a soft rock that is easily scratched, while granite is a very hard rock that does not scratch or break easily. The luster of the rock is determined by its metallic components. For example, some igneous-volcanic rocks are more lustrous than sedimentary rocks.
A rock's cleavage refers to its irregularities in shape. For instance, feldspar may have crevices that are cubic in appearance. The color of the rock is typically considered after other features, as the color is not as effective in identifying types of rocks as other features, such as hardness. The abundance of particular types of rocks and minerals available in the geographical region helps determine the specific type of rock being identified.


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We had a fantastic weekend at StaxTENbury at the beginning of July! Its taken a while to get round to writing our first post-StaxTENbury blog, but here we go…
HMGW produced 3 StaxTENbury specials over the weekend and interviewed some fantastic bands and artists. We were even lucky enough to have a few do live sessions with us in the Radio Shack!
Check out this cheeky film of Circa 15 appearing on the HMGW StaxTENbury Special from Saturday 7th July.
Video courtesy of Circa 15 and Digital Creations
Two Rivers Radio will be at Dunnington Fayre Goes Live tomorrow from 11am 'til about 10pm with more exclusive interviews and live sessions!
So, come and watch the bands, say hello, grab a drink and have a dance. It's going to be awesome!


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In Paul Verhoeven's Elle, the Future Is Female
I went to a press screening of Elle, the just-opened movie from Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, on the eve of the election. Anxieties were running high, and focusing on a film, particularly one that runs a healthy two hours and 10 minutes, offered both a welcome distraction and a major challenge. The mood in the room was tense and subdued, our silence punctuated only by occasional gasps of horror during particularly gruesome scenes (and there are some very gruesome scenes).
The film, based on the novel Oh . . . by Philippe Djian, tells the story of Michele Leblanc (played by the marvelous Isabelle Huppert), a middle-aged French woman who has overcome a horrific childhood—her father was a famous serial killer, responsible for the mass slaughter of dozens of French schoolchildren—to become a major success. Along with her best friend, Anna (Anne Consigny), Michele heads up a booming tech company, leading a team of unruly brogrammers in the creation of a Game of Thrones–style adventure video game. She lives in splendor in a glorious townhouse; drives a fancy car; dresses in beautiful clothes; and still has enough money to support, begrudgingly, her aging mother and her loutish grown son, Vincent (Jonas Bloquet), a fast-food worker with a pregnant girlfriend.
The film opens in darkness, to the sound of grunts, a couple roughly fornicating. Then the lights come on, and we see the pair from the point of view of a house cat, which stands by, passively observing Michele, its owner, lying prostrate on the ground. She's surrounded by broken glass, pinned beneath a rearing masked man. What sounded like passionate, frisky sex suddenly looks more like assault.
Michele is so calm, cool, and collected that it takes a moment for the viewer to accept that she has, in fact, been the victim of a rape. After her assailant flees, Michele sweeps up the crime scene and draws a bath. It's only when a triangle of bubbles blooms red above her nether regions that we realize something very bad has just happened.
It's not clear that Michele realizes it herself: She goes to the doctor but doesn't call the police. She blurts the news out to friends over dinner but insists it's over and there's nothing to discuss. She buys an ax and a can of pepper spray, yet seems unaffected by the surfeit of potentially triggering imagery at work. In one scene, she critiques the efforts of a male underling, whose animation of a monster violently penetrating a woman in the skull with long, phallic tentacles falls short of expectations. "The orgasmic convulsions are too timid," Michele, dispassionate as ever, insists.
For two-thirds of its run time, Elle unfolds like a whodunit. Michele's attacker stalks her with notes and texts and phone calls. In the meantime, Verhoeven introduces us to the many men in Michele's orbit, whom we assess for latent criminal tendencies: her seemingly besotted ex-husband, Richard (Charles Berling); her ne'er-do-well son; a pair of suspicious employees; her creepy Ken-doll neighbor, Patrick (Laurent Lafitte); her mother's much younger, gold-digger boyfriend; and Anna's husband, Robert (Christian Berkel), with whom Michele is in the waning days of lackluster affair.
More than an hour in, we learn the identity of the attacker, and it's here that Verhoeven flips the script: The cat becomes the mouse and the mouse becomes the cat, as Michele proves herself able, even eager, even turned on by the prospect of seizing control of a situation that might have been her undoing. In this last third, Elle is less a mystery than a portrait of a character's uncommon sangfroid in the face of the ugliest misogyny. The unmasking of Michele's rapist is not the climactic moment we'd expect, but just one in a series of plot points in a long and twisting denouement. That the film defies the traditional narrative structure seems deliberate: After all, isn't the basic story arc—exposition, rising action, climax, resolution—kind of a guy thing?
When the final credits rolled, I walked out with a stranger who told me this was her second time seeing Elle. She first saw it at the New York Film Festival, where the movie screened for a much bigger audience. The vibe in that room, she said, was completely different. Verhoeven's psychosexual thriller had played as a black comedy, a farce that drew big laughs.
Critics have had similarly uneven takes on Elle, which made big waves when it premiered this past spring at the Cannes Film Festival. IndieWire called it "a lighthearted rape-revenge story," while The New York Observer referred to it as "twisted and implausible." Variety clocked Elle as "bracingly resistant to essentialist conclusions," and The New York Times agreed: "After it's over, you may find yourself in an argument about just what kind of movie you saw. A nasty exploitative spectacle of a women's victimization, or the celebration of her resistance? A feminist tale of rape and revenge, or an exercise in chic, cynical misogyny?"
Some confusion and hand-wringing is to be expected. This, after all, is the work of Paul Verhoeven, the director behind such polarizing projects as _Starship Trooper_s and Showgirls (also Basic Instinct, Total Recall, RoboCop). And though Elle, the 78-year-old director's first full-length feature in a decade, may be difficult to parse, it's also earning excellent notices (93 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes currently), in large part on the basis of Huppert's virtuosic, nuanced performance.
Thirty-six hours after I left the Elle screening, I watched, along with the rest of the country, as the votes tallied up in Donald Trump's favor. Polls had swung overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton, but we hadn't, as expected, elected our first woman president. Instead, we'd elected a man with, at the very least, a history of bragging about his ability to grab women by their genitals without consequence.
The Trump win was a shocking upset that we've come to see as a populist revolt by an unheeded constituency of rural whites who came out to vote in unprecedented numbers, registering their dissatisfaction with establishment politics, coastal elitism, and the toll globalization has taken on the American working class (racism and xenophobia had a lot to do with it in many cases, as well). But it seems undeniable that Trump's victory also reflects a misogynistic backlash against the elevation of a woman to the highest office in the land. Clinton, after all, was arguably the most qualified candidate ever to apply for the job of President of the United States; in the end she was defeated by a man who is arguably the least qualified person ever to do so.
After the results came in, I couldn't bring myself to write about much of anything, least of all about a puzzling movie that centers on a woman's brutal sexual assault. What was the point of dissecting the way culture depicts and unpacks misogyny when we as a culture have shown ourselves unwilling to face our own misogyny?
But Elle stayed with me. I found myself thinking about it a lot over the course of the past week, as I tried to understand how we ended up where we did. And with the dust settling on our new reality, I felt compelled to return to Verhoeven's movie. Because no matter how you cut it, serious or satire, thriller or comedy, Elle is a film for these times, a cinematic evocation of the script-flip that was the promise of Clinton's campaign.
In Verhoeven's universe, men are relegated to the murky fringes. Women run the companies. They are the doctors, the nurses, the providers, the decision-makers. Their sexual currency only seems to accumulate with age and success. Men struggle to make a living, to keep a woman, to adapt to changing times. Their only recourse is violence.
At one point, Michele accompanies her son to look at an apartment with his girlfriend, Josie, almost certainly pregnant with another man's baby. "Vincent, be the bookcase!" Josie demands, and he obediently stands against a wall, his arms outstretched, illustrating a greater point: Men are basically furniture.
It's an extreme vision, and, we should note, it's the vision of an old white guy. But it's also catharsis for a troubling time. In Elle, pussy grabs back, and the future truly is female.