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One of the benefits of being a reviewer for PASMAG is that I get to play with different brands of gear that many people don't know of or aren't very familiar with. In this case, it's a new high end component speaker system from the Italian manufacturer PHD. While the brand may not be too familiar, PHD has been in the loudspeaker manufacturing business for over twenty years, and has a solid reputation for putting out well engineered and meticulously crafted products. PHD products are found in the Mercedes Benz AMG 600SL Mille Miglia limited edition supercar and also have been selected as the official audio system for Ferrari. In the competition arena, the PHD brand has championships in sound quality and SPL contests all over the world. That sort of stuff doesn't happen by accident, so let's take a closer look at the system they sent me, the FB 6.1 Competition, which is available in the U.S. and Canada for around $799.00.
Features and Construction
The FB series from PHD is designed for the utmost in sound quality and fidelity. The entire system is handcrafted in Rome, Italy and is sold exclusively through selected dealers.
The midrange in the system is a 6.5 inch driver built on an injection molded basket that uses some fairly unusual material. Called HIGHT TIGHT™ by PHD, the basket material is formed from a special blend of polycarbonate, fiberglass and other materials. The material is highly dampened to prevent basket ringing and is also very stable in challenging environments like automotive applications. The basket is designed with sonic performance in mind, and PHD claims that their eight rib design creates the ideal method of cancelling resonances that can normally travel from the motor assembly to the upper part of the speaker and add unwanted coloration to the sound. According to PHD's engineers, the eight ribs act as resonance tunnels that transfer the unwanted energy, and at the same time are shaped specifically to avoid turbulence and reflections behind the cone. As an example of the details the PHD designers worry about, even the gold plated electrical connections are mounted to the ribs to keep them out of the airflow behind the speaker cone.
The cone itself is made of molded fiberglass, finished in matte black and connected to the outer diameter of the basket with a rubber surround. It's driven by a 1 inch copper voice coil wound on an aluminum former. Locating the coil in the magnetic gap is the duty of a linear type cotton spider. The speaker also employs a copper jacket on the pole piece, sometimes known as a "shorting ring". This technique is generally reserved for very high end speakers and is used to reduce the effects of voice coil inductance modulation based on voice coil position. The result is improved midrange response and reduced distortion.
The tweeter in the FB 6.1 kit is a 1 inch silk dome design housed in a solid aluminum housing. The housing also contains a rear chamber to improve the low frequency reach of the tweeter. Ferrofluid is used for voice coil cooling. The tweeter mounting system comes in the form of another impressively machined piece of aluminum in the form of a surface mountable cup, which hold the tweeter in place with four tiny set screws. While this method may work in Europe, over here we tend to flush mount tweeters most of the time, and while maybe this system can be adapted to work that way, it would require the complete removal of the door panel to affix the mounting cup.
The crossover of the FB 6.1 kit is less esoteric than the midrange and tweeter. It is comprised of a -12 dB highpass network for the tweeter at 3500 Hz, and a -12 dB low pass network for the woofer, also at 3500 Hz. The tweeter level is adjustable to one of three levels, from 0 dB to -6dB. Interestingly, to make the level adjustment you have move a jumper on the board, and also move the positive tweeter wire to another terminal. A polyswitch provides protection for inadvertent over-current situations. The housing is pretty basic, made of smoked clear plastic, and the terminals are pretty standard gold plated screw type. The network uses air core inductors and a polyester cap for the tweeter circuit. The rest of the capacitors are standard electrolytics.
I mounted the PHD system in my listening room baffles and exercised them by playing music at low levels for about 24 hours. Then I set the crossovers for no tweeter attenuation, and began my listening session. Almost immediately I knew the system was going to be a good performer. The system exhibited excellent intelligibility, and a lively exciting signature. The FB 6.1 delivered a warm, rich sounding bottom end, without being overly bass heavy or chesty sounding. The mid-bass response is definitely stronger than most of the competition, but not in a way that it made the midrange sound weak. The midrange and high frequencies were very pleasing and natural, without the "clinical" sound that some systems exhibit. Tweeter output was smooth and detailed, with good dispersion, and no trace of brittleness or sibilance. I listened to the system for several hours and played all kinds of music. The PHD FB 6.1 system is accurate enough to make really good recordings shine, and by the same token, really show the deficiencies of recordings that are not well done. I came away pleased and impressed with the sonics of the system, and while it may not be the most flat system I've ever heard, the sound was really pleasing and exciting to listen to. This is a system I could play for hours, just for the joy of listening to music.
On The Bench:
As expected, when I moved the system into the lab for measurements, the frequency response was not the flattest I've seen, but this is still a natural and great sounding system. A check of the system's impedance showed the woofer had a resonant frequency of just over 60Hz, which is nice and low for a 6.5 inch driver.
Quick Specs:
Recommended Power 100 Watts Continuous / 200 Watts Peak
Sensitivity (2V/1M) 91dB SPL
Frequency Response 40Hz -22kHz (-3dB)
Mounting Depth 2.4" (61mm)
Mounting Diameter 6.5" (165mm)
Midrange Resonance 62Hz
This was the first experience I've had with PHD speakers, and I must say I came away impressed. Of course like most handmade Italian products they don't come cheap, but if you are looking for a very good sounding speaker system and you believe that buying a long-lasting, quality product justifies the cost, PHD speakers may be perfect for you. You can find out more about the company and their products online at www.phd.it.


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Taliban militants in Pakistan claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in the country's volatile northwest on Sunday that killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20.
The attack occurred in the town of Mardan, 37 miles north of Peshewar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), which is considered a haven for militants with links to the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
A Taliban spokesman said that Tehrik-e-Taliban (Pakistan Taliban Movement) carried out the bombing in revenge for a suspected United States missile strike on a rebel camp in Pakistan's tribal belt last week, reports Agence France-Presse.
That missile strike killed 14 people in the town of Damadola. Tribal leaders and Pakistani officials say it was carried out by the US; the US military has not yet commented.
Pakistan's leading Dawn newspaper reports that the NWFP chief minister, Aneer Haider Khan Hoti, said the attack was designed to sabotage a Pakistan government-initiated peace process.
Sunday's attack was the deadliest since a new Pakistani government came to power in March and launched a peace initiative with Taliban militants in an attempt to root out Al Qaeda operatives from the tribal belt that borders Afghanistan. Pakistan has begun decreasing its troop numbers in parts of its border region and freeing Taliban prisoners.
On Friday, the militants freed the Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, who had been held by the Pakistani Taliban for more than three months.
US officials have questioned making such deals with the Pakistan Taliban, pointing out that previous talks gave militants time to regroup, resulting in a rise in Taliban attacks on US and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
The Christian Science Monitor pointed out that according to the State Department's recently published annual terrorism report, suicide attacks in Pakistan had more than doubled to 887 last year because of terrorist regrouping during a 2006 cease-fire.
Sunday's attack came as Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met President Bush at a World Economic Forum conference in Egypt, where Mr. Gilani said his government was committed to fighting terrorism.
A report in Pakistan's Daily Times newspaper quoted a senior Army officer rebutting the US view of the situation in Pakistan.
"No Pashtun is a terrorist," 14 Division GOC Maj-Gen Tariq Khan told journalists while showing them the forward positions of the army in a former stronghold of Baitullah Mehsud [the head of a leading umbrella group of militants known as Tehrik-e-Taliban]. He also disagreed with the US allegation that the Pakistan Army was being lenient with Al Qaeda and the Taliban. "I would disagree with the US claims of [us] being soft on militants."
The Times of India, meanwhile, reported that India was concerned about Pakistan's peace deals with militants.
India's position emanates from a number of factors. There is little hope that the new civilian government in Pakistan will take any strong measures to stanch the growth of the terror machine. India is very uncomfortable with Pakistan's new efforts to reach a peace deal with Taliban and other militants in [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] and believes it is headed down the same slippery slope as the peace deals Pervez Musharraf struck with the Taliban in 2005 and 2006.
"We don't think this is a good deal, because there are no good terrorists or bad terrorists, and you cannot really treat them as an organized force, particularly when they haven't renounced violence, ideals or goals," a source said.
The New York Times reported the view that Sunday's suicide bomb attack may have been carried out without Mr. Mehsud's direction. In the first 10 weeks of 2008, before Pakistan's new government assumed power, there were 17 suicide bombings in Pakistan. Since then, the region had been more peaceful.
But on Monday, Reuters reported that NATO had beefed up its military presence on the Afghan border, suspecting that the peace deals would result in attacks into Afghanistan. NATO said militant attacks had already increased in the areas near to where peace talks were underway.
"Our analysis of the previous peace deals ... is that when that dialogue is ongoing or when talks have been consummated in peace deals we see a spike in the untoward events that we experience on our side of the border," said General Dan McNeill, commander of NATO's 47,000-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
General MacNeill was also quoted as saying that insurgency was not the biggest security threat in the region. The "scourge of illegal narcotics" – Afghanistan produces 93 percent of the world's opium – and corruption were bigger problems, he said.


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When Is A Lyric Site More Than A Lyric Site?
from the used-for-commentary dept
Honestly, if there's anything more stupid than the music industry and song-writers going after lyrics sites, I can't imagine what that thing might be. We've talked in the past about how short-sighted it is for the profiteers of interest in songs targeting websites that do little beyond promoting interest in those same songs. Even the most obviously single-purpose lyric site that does nothing but post song lyrics is likely innocuous at worst and beneficial to all involved at best. Yet they're constant targets. Blech.
But sometimes this goes beyond blinder-vision and moves into a complete mis-targeting. That seems to be the case with the inclusion of RapGenius.com on the National Music Publisher's Association hitlist of sites from their press conference on Monday. The NMPA insisted all sites immediately pull lyrics off the site. RapGenius, for those of you not in the know, is much more than a lyrics site. But, according to one guy that I think I've heard of before:
David Lowery, a veteran of the bands Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker who has tracked the sites in his research for the University of Georgia, says they are big business.What?!? First, it's hard to square these sites being ignored with their constantly being targeted and sued. Second, to understand what a site like RapGenius is and does, you actually have to look at the site. A cursory glance shows that the entire point of the site is to foster a conversation and commentary around lyrics (and more), their meaning, and their interpretations. This is done through user annotations, fostering a back and forth that often times includes the songwriters themselves. As RapGenius founder Ilan Zechory notes:
"Unlicensed lyric sites are largely ignored as copyright infringers, but in fact these sites generate huge web traffic and involve more money than one might think," he said. "The lyric business is clearly more valuable in the Internet age."
"Rap Genius is so much more than a lyrics site! The lyrics sites the NMPA refers to simply display song lyrics, while Rap Genius has crowdsourced annotations that give context to all the lyrics line by line, and tens of thousands of verified annotations directly from writers and performers. These layers of context and meaning transform a static, flat lyric page into an interactive, vibrant art experience created by a community of volunteer scholars. Furthermore, music is only a small part of what we do. Rap Genius is an interactive encyclopedia for annotation of all texts — anyone can upload and annotate texts relating to music, news, literature, religion, science, their personal lives, or anything else they want," he concluded.So, the questions are pretty obvious. First, why is the NMPA going after a site that is clothed in several layers of Fair Use armor? And second, why is an association that is supposed to protect the rights of all their songwriting members going after a site that many of them appear to enjoy using. Finally, what the hell kind of good is supposed to come of any of this? I'm not sure what the end-game is supposed to be for the NMPA, but this looks like a massive swing-and-a-miss to me. Oh, and it should be noted that people appear to have posted Techdirt articles to RapGenius as well, and everyone at Techdirt thinks that's great. We'd actually be really pissed off if some misguided attempt to squeeze money out of the site meant that our own content was held back and less widely distributed.
Filed Under: annotations, copyright, fair use, lyrics
Companies: nmpa, rapgenius


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Next Episode of MMVA is
At the annual MMVAs, MuchMusic celebrates music by giving out awards for the year's best music videos, with performances by popular performers and special appearances by celebrities.
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Latest News
IDEXX Laboratories Acquires Animana B.V., Makers of the Animana Veterinary Practice Management Software
The Diagnostic News newsletter goes digital. Don't miss it and subscribe now! Click here
New European Core Reference Laboratory now open in Leipzig, Germany, offers superior lab services with next day results.
IDEXX Catalyst Dx® Chemistry Analyzer Chosen by More Than 10,000 Veterinary Practices Worldwide [Trade]
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IDEXX Reference Laboratories—Innovative tests, comprehensive panels and integrated laboratory services.


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IOSH Moving and Handling of People Train the Trainer
Menter Training
Event Details
PLEASE NOTE - This is a five day course, being the four days stated along with a final day the following week. Please see our website for the full list of attendance dates.
Who should attend?
The course is specifically designed to provide learners with the skills and knowledge required to deliver manual handling training to their own staff.Therefore this course is ideal for those wishing to deliver a high standard of moving and handling training to others.
IOSH Certified Course
Menter has worked closely with the Institution of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH) to develop a course which this prestigious awarding body was happy to put their name to.
Course Content
The course covers:
- Teaching skills – To be able to train to an audience
- Theory based information relating to the All Wales Passport Scheme
- Practical elements relating to the All Wales Passport Scheme
- Micro-teach
- Examination
Benefits of the course
By attending this course learners will receive a great deal of information to enable them to train in-house to their own employees. The course will provide the learners with a training pack to equip them with the ability to produce their own training courses.
On successful completion of the course each delegate will receive a Train The Trainer certificate. This certificate will not allow you to deliver an IOSH accredited course but to deliver your own personally developed Train the Trainer course.
Throughout the course, learners will have sessions of questions & answers, alongside activities and exercises. Learners will also produce a micro-teach session, risk assessment and complete an examination paper.
Entry Qualifications
Relevant experience working within the Health and Social Care industry .


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Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tarte Tatin and a Cookbook Giveaway
Invented by the Tatin sisters in France, this tart came about when the sisters were flooded with clients at their restaurant and came up with a clever way to recover their damaged traditional 'tarte aux pommes' (apple tart). The solution was to bake the tart up-side down, with the crust on top of the filling, and to flip the tart over once it was nicely caramelized by the butter and caramel used in the filling. This photograph doesn't really do the tart justice - but to tell you the truth, I made the tart in the evening and by the time it was out of the oven it was begging to be sliced... right then and there. An instagramed picture will have to do the trick for this post then!
There are a few special dishes that really taste like home for me and this is definitely one of them. So if you're in the mood for a quintessentially French meal, I would suggest starting with a frisee salad with lardons and melted goat cheese on toast, followed by a sole meuniere (delicious, velvety fish fillets made with a brown butter sauce, herbs and lemon), a side of haricots verts and a slice of warm tarte tatin, with some ice cream or a generous dollop of creme fraiche to finish off.
Before, I share with you my personal recipe to make this tart, let me introduce this week's giveaway! I will be giving a copy of Jodi Rhoden's Cake Ladies to one lucky reader. This book is filled with southern cake recipes, from Fresh Coconut Cake, to Mississippi Mud Cake and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. If you've always wanted to learn more about Southern desserts, this is the cookbook for you! To win your very own copy of this cookbook, simply comment on this post and let me know what cake you enjoy making the most (or what cake you enjoy eating the most!). Leave a comment on this post or write a comment on Chocolate Shaving's Facebook page with your answer. You can write a comment on both sites and your name will be entered in the contest twice. The contest ends on November 18th, at midnight. The winner will be drawn at random and you must be a Canadian or American resident to enter. Good luck and I look forward to hearing from you!
Tarte Tatin
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
A few squirts of lemon juice
1 pinch of salt
4 small knobs of butter
4-5 small tart apples
1 sheet of thawed puff pastry
Peal and core the apples. Cut in quarters and leave to set in a bowl with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
Preheat your oven to 400F. In a small pot on medium heat, add the sugar and water. Using a small pastry brush, carefully dab the sides of the pot with water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing on the sides of the pan. Let the sugar and water form a homogenous mixture and add a few squirts of lemon. You can gently swirl the pot, but dab the side of the pan to remove any sugar crystals after doing so. Wait until the sugar starts to caramelize and turns an amber colour. This takes a little time, but once it does, the caramel can quickly burn and become bitter so be vigilant!
Once the caramel has a nice, rich amber colour, add the pinch of salt, remove from the heat and pour into your pie plate. Add the knobs of butter, evenly distributing them. Add the prepared apples, core side up, carefully pressing them down against the caramel. Be extremely careful at this stage as the caramel is still very hot (this is not a step to have your children help with!). Arrange the apples snugly to form a circle inside the pie plate. The least space between the apples is best as it will make the tart look prettier as well as ensure that it holds together, so try to fit as many apples as you can in one, neat, even layer.
Roll out the puff pastry to form a disc just a little larger than your pie plate and about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully place the disc on top of the apples, and fold in the pastry into the pie plate to form the crust, making sure the pastry has contact with all of the apples. The key is to tuck in the pastry on following the inside rim of the pie plate. Gently press down on the pastry to make sure the caramel, apples and pastry are in contact. Gently prick the top of the pastry with a fork and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Using your serving plate, carefully invert the tart onto the plate. Serve with immediately with some ice cream or creme fraiche. Enjoy!
Update: The lucky winner of this giveaway is Julie from Willow Bird Baking.
44 comments:
- Carrie @ CarrieAndJonathan.com said...
Carmel cake - yummmmmm
- November 2, 2011 at 7:50 AM
- Jon Simon said...
My friend's mother a Holocaust survivor seeks out Tarte Tintin even in her now more fragile health. It's a classic of her childhood. She judges French restaurants solely on the quality of their abilities with this desert. Perhaps I can wow her with one more pleasure
- November 2, 2011 at 8:19 AM
- Julie @ Willow Bird Baking said...
I love making tunnel cakes, with mousse hearts in the middle :) I think coconut might be my favorite flavor. Really moist coconut!
Pretty tart! :) I have yet to make a tarte tatin.
- November 2, 2011 at 8:25 AM
My mom makes the most amazing chocolate ganache cake for birthday's and I love standing alongside her in the kitchen to create it! It's not only delish for the stomach, but the eyes as well!
- November 2, 2011 at 8:55 AM
Actually, tarte tatin is my favourite dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yummy!!!
- November 2, 2011 at 9:42 AM
- jenn923 said...
My grandmother's icebox chocolate cake still haunts me to this day. The ganache frosting is my all time favorite.
- November 2, 2011 at 9:47 AM
- Deborah said...
Your tarte tatin sounds so delicious!! My favorite cake growing up was always cherry chip with marshmallow frosting. I recently tried to make my own version from scratch.
- November 2, 2011 at 10:06 AM
- Chocolate Shavings said...
Jon Simon: I hope you get to make the tarte tatin and give her a small slice. It's the small pleasures in life that really count.
Deborah: I would love to see your version - sounds delicious!
- November 2, 2011 at 10:13 AM
- Cindy B. said...
The cake I enjoy making and eating the most is Carrot Cake! email@example.com
- November 2, 2011 at 10:19 AM
- AnneHD said...
I LOVE southern cakes!
Hard to say which cake is my favorite... I make a mean rum pound cake (which I sinfully cover with rum french meringue buttercream), and I love the pure simplicity of a vanilla layer cake with vanilla buttercream, but my very favorite cake might be the coconut layer cake (filled with coconut milk pastry cream, frosted with vanilla german buttercream and covered in lightly toasted coconut shreads) I made for my own birthday two years ago. Sweeeet memories.
- November 2, 2011 at 10:35 AM
- davita said...
A Chocolate Carrot Cake with a Chocolate and cream cheese frosting. i love making and eating this cake!
- November 2, 2011 at 10:42 AM
- davita said...
A Chocolate Carrot Cake with a Chocolate and cream cheese frosting. i love making and eating this cake!
- November 2, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Glazed coconut pound cake causes my mouth to water........
- November 2, 2011 at 11:05 AM
I commented on FB on Chocolate Shavings
- November 2, 2011 at 11:06 AM
- Ashleigh said...
Nothing beats a three layer coconut cake with cream cheese icing...perfection! :)
- November 2, 2011 at 11:24 AM
- suburban prep said...
I love a milk chocolate buttercream cake. Lately though I have been making a banana cake with cream cheese frosting. YUM
msgb245 at gmail dot com
- November 2, 2011 at 11:47 AM
- JuLo said...
I love making bundt cakes. They always come out looking so good. But I love eating a nice big chocolate layer cake. Yum! They never look as nice though. Heh
- November 2, 2011 at 12:01 PM
- Rebecca said...
Totally a toss up between Italian cream cake with cocounut AND my husband's family recipe for poppy seed cake!
- November 2, 2011 at 12:23 PM
- Jennifurla said...
I need to try this, never had it...but it makes me drool!
- November 2, 2011 at 12:45 PM
- Sara said...
I really love making coconut cake! That tart tatin looks amazing! :)
- November 2, 2011 at 2:37 PM
- gohabsgo said...
I love pumpkin cheescake!
And I can't wait to try your tarte tatin recipe!
- November 2, 2011 at 2:51 PM
- Taryn said...
I love making CUPcakes... do they count? And I most enjoy eating Boston Cream Pie, or similar cakes that have a cream or mousse layer in between the cake layers. Fun play on textures and super moist and flavorful!
- November 2, 2011 at 4:45 PM
- Chloe said...
Salted Caramel Cake from your archives! It's how I found your blog, and I've made it over and over. AMAZING. chloephalan (at) hotmail.com...
- November 2, 2011 at 5:28 PM
- WineDineDivas said...
Your Tarte Tatin looks so delicioius!
Hm... it is very hard to pick one - but allas the Marzipan Layer Cake is always the winner in our house :)
- November 2, 2011 at 7:39 PM
- Stef said...
I LOVE molten lava cakes! Oooh..gooey, melty chocolate..Might have to make tonight a dessert night!
- November 2, 2011 at 8:13 PM
- Mini Baker said...
I love make coconut cream cakes & chocolate cakes and then there's of course carrot cake! (I really like cake hehe) your tarte looks gorgeous!
- November 2, 2011 at 8:24 PM
- Stephanie said...
Wow this looks amazing, but intimidating to make. I can't wait to try though! :)
I love black forest cake!! And spice cake during the fall and winter months is always fabulous!
- November 2, 2011 at 9:57 PM
- Nelly Rodriguez said...
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Love!
- November 2, 2011 at 11:01 PM
- jt said...
I enjoy eating ice cream cake! yum!
- November 3, 2011 at 7:22 PM
I love making cheesecakes because everyone always raves over them!
- November 4, 2011 at 9:44 AM
- Teslaca said...
Chocolate cake with a ganache filling and chocolate icing is my favorite every time!
- November 4, 2011 at 12:12 PM
- Cakebrain said...
Whoah! That looks so yummy! I always order it when I see it on a restaurant menu.
- November 4, 2011 at 1:59 PM
- moonsword said...
Chocolate Pistachio Surprise Cake is my current favorite. Thanks!
- November 5, 2011 at 2:03 AM
- dina vanessa mercado said...
soooo yummmy!!!! love to tasteit... love your blog, following you now, hope you could visit my blog too... kissess!!!
- November 5, 2011 at 10:38 AM
- Fatty Bumpkins said...
I really love eating German Chocolate Cake. I just saw a German Chocolate Cheesecake and I have to try it. Thanks for the awesome giveaway :)
fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com
- November 5, 2011 at 7:18 PM
My favorite is a hot milk cake recipe I have. It's so moist it doesn't need frosting!
- November 6, 2011 at 7:07 PM
- Mary said...
Holy this tarte looks fantastic! Can't wait top try the recipe out. My favourite cake to make is strawberry cheesecake. So classic but delicious!
- November 7, 2011 at 7:55 AM
- simplydre said...
My most requested cake from my husband is a pineapple carrot cake with pecan, cream cheese frosting! I enjoy this the most because he first requested it thinking it would be too challenging for me. Was he wrong!
- November 7, 2011 at 10:34 AM
- Cookin' Canuck said...
That tarte tatin is so pretty and I love how easy it is to make. As for my favorite cake - I'd have to say anything with chocolate mousse.
- November 12, 2011 at 7:06 PM
- thehappyglut said...
I love making victorian sponge cakes! :)
- November 14, 2011 at 1:48 PM
- Lynnette said...
Apple, apple, and more apple. There isn't anything apple that I do not like!
- November 14, 2011 at 2:18 PM
- kyleen said...
Mhmmm I love caramel and apples. I've never tried Tarte Tatin, but maybe I will this weekend (: Yours looks delicious.
- November 15, 2011 at 12:47 PM
- Carole said...
Caramel cake with caramel frosting
- November 18, 2011 at 8:53 AM
I love a a classic dark chocolate cake recipe with rich dark chocolate frosting. Also love Hummingbird cake!
- January 7, 2012 at 6:43 PM


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The half-baked blatherings of an arrogant know-it-all. Enjoy!
posted by Alex at 10/28/2005 08:02:00 AM
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Gosh. Well, I'm an actor, writer, director, producer, and designer. I live in Chicago with my wonderful, sexy (and most certainly NOT "fake Canadian"*) wife and our menagerie of five (yes, five....my two, her two, and my late mother's "baby", whom we recently adopted) cats. I work a day job doing research and database management. I am non-religious (well, I guess I'm a worshiper of the twin "gods" Chaos and Probability), and an anarchist with libertarian tendencies (I realize this makes little sense...but neither does our current form of government). I get kind of worked up about politics; and think that anyone who doesn't isn't paying close enough attention to the world around them. Example: I think that Michael Moore and Ann Coulter have more in common than they'd like to believe. Um. That's all for now. * If you get this reference, give yourself ten points. Oh, and if you're here stalking me from Best week Ever...keep in mind that that I can see your IP address. Hi! My flickr site: http://flickr.com/photos/weirdoactor/
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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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My grade. Now Taylor's heading to surgery. Kill him off, please.
I still think Tony is going rogue again. Tony is very cool. Ya!
If they could only bring Michelle back ..... oh well.
Jumai has to learn Jack is just at his boiling point. Pretty soon, Jumai will be missing a finger, a leg, perhaps an arm.
Unfortunately, Fox could not come to terms with Director and co-Executive Producer Jon Cassar who has directed so many great episodes from S2 through this season.
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L. Ron Hubbard's The Way to Happiness is comprised of 21 precepts, each one predicated on the fact that one's survival depends on the survival of all others—and that without the survival of others, no joy and no happiness are attainable.
In the decades since it was authored, some 85 million copies of the booklet have passed hand to hand, inspiring a movement the likes of which this world has never seen. But in view of all else the booklet could accomplish, in 2003 Mr. David Miscavige spearheaded establishment of The Way to Happiness Foundation International headquarters in Glendale, California.
Here, educators, corporate executives, legislators and dignitaries learn how to implement The Way to Happiness to the benefit of their communities, businesses and nations. To meet the ever-increasing demand, the headquarters' print-on-demand facility allows booklets to be printed in any quantity and in any of 95 languages.
In illustration of the book's precepts, the Church of Scientology first sponsored the production and airing of a corresponding series of Public Service Announcements. These videos are presented in the spirit of the booklet itself, which is a roadmap to a happier life through values of compassion and caring that every member of a civilized society holds dear. Additionally distributed internationally and made available by request are the teacher's guide and educator materials to supplement the use of the informational videos in a classroom environment.
Next came production of a feature-length film based on the unabridged The Way to Happiness book. Depicting all 21 precepts in a feature film, the precepts come alive and incisively convey the meaning of the book and the vital importance of morals to not only one's own life but to others with whom one coexists.
Today, the 21 Public Service Announcements depicting The Way to Happiness precepts air daily in a variety of media ranging from city buses in Chicago and Samoan rugby matches to Central American food courts and television stations on every continent.
An international network of volunteers and supporters of The Way to Happiness Foundation now spans 135 nations. Moreover, representatives from groups dedicated to improving moral standards continue to adopt this booklet for their own use.
Organizations and individuals as diverse as the National Honduras Police, Secretary General of the Philippine Red Cross and the California State Chairman of the Congress on Racial Equality now distribute personalized copies of the booklet. As a further example of the far-reaching use of this booklet, the National Police of Colombia now utilize The Way to Happiness booklet in training their entire force and broadly distribute copies to Colombian citizens.


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Join the Black AIDS Institute at the AIDS 2012 International Community Science and Treatment Pre-Conference Workshop
June 5, 2012
The Black AIDS Institute will co-sponsor a free, two-day AIDS 2012
Leading researchers, clinicians and treatment advocates will prepare participants for specific sessions that will be held in the basic sciences, clinical science, and epidemiology and prevention science conference tracks. Particular emphasis will be placed on topics like the cure, vaccine development, hepatitis C, PrEP, microbicides and treatment as prevention.
The training is offered in partnership with the Treatment Action Group, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, AVAC, the Foundation for AIDS Research, the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, the Black Treatment Advocates Network, the African American HIV University, and other leading treatment advocacy organizations.
The workshop is filling up fast and spaces are limited! To register please contact Josephine Ayanokoya at firstname.lastname@example.com
It's the Best Kept Secret We Need to Share: There's a Totally Free and Public International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. This Summer
This article was provided by The Black AIDS Institute. It is a part of the publication Black AIDS Weekly. Visit Black AIDS Institute's website to find out more about their activities and publications.
Add Your Comment:
(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in
Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Before
adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.)


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Resource Sharing and Document Delivery
DOCLINE, NLM's automated interlibrary loan request and referral system, is used by health sciences libraries throughout the Southeastern/Atlantic Region, the nation, and the world.
Loansome Doc is a document delivery service provided by participating DOCLINE libraries to users of PubMed. Loansome Doc allows users to order documents retrieved in MEDLINE searches from libraries that have agreed to serve them.
Author manuscript list in PubMed Central
NLM's SERHOLD system provides regional and national serials holdings information and is used by DOCLINE for automatic routing of interlibrary loan requests.


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Fans wait — and wait — to see LaBeouf watch his own movies
Why did actor Shia LaBeouf invite his fans to watch all the movies he's ever made with him during a three-day (and two-night) marathon at a Manhattan theater? Or to watch him watching via livestream, witnessing the drama of him occasionally stroking his beard, sipping from a cup or scratching his nose?
Probably the best explanation is: Just because.
And that's pretty much why Alex Martin, a senior at New York University, was waiting on line -- for what was likely to be hours -- to get inside.
"Just for the experience," Martin explained with a smile. "Just to say I did it. Not necessarily to watch a movie of Shia LaBeouf. You know, just to say I was here."
Although Martin, who's majoring in public health and sociology, used to love LaBeouf when he was a child actor, he and his friends waiting with him Wednesday afternoon clearly now see him as a perplexing, if interesting, celebrity known for sometimes very erratic behavior. "Lots of alcohol," Martin noted.
Austin Reardon, also an NYU senior, said he was there "because I am a big fan of his public persona over the years." He came to the Angelika Film Center, right by the university, because "it's entertaining to watch online, but I would like to be a part of it in person."
Though most of those waiting on line, which stretched about a city block long, appeared to be college age, not everyone was. Attorney McKinney Brown, 26, had the day off from work and "thought it would be a fun experience." He didn't know precisely which movie he'd be seeing; his favorite, he said, is "Lawless."
"Shia does all sorts of performance art," Brown said. "I thought it would be a fun thing to do just to experience it."
LaBeouf basically took over the theater, letting fans in for free, but wasn't speaking to those who managed to get in, according to people coming out. There were five-minute intermissions between films.
"He was completely silent," said Michelle Calicchio, a senior at Ramapo College, who arrived early in the morning and emerged from the theater at about 4 p.m., having spent most of her time waiting (newcomers were admitted only when someone exited the theater, and people could stay inside as long as they wanted.) She felt that LaBeouf was wordlessly critiquing his own work.
"He was in a deep stare," he said. "He was so zoned in."
Back on line, David Andre, an actor and recent NYU graduate, was comfortable with the fact that he probably wouldn't get to talk to LaBeouf or even see his face.
"My phone died, so I won't even get a photo," he said with a grin. And he continued to wait.
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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You will need:
- A silicone mould,
- Black oxide colour,
- Glycerine soap base (M and P),
- Fragrance oil,
- Rubbing alcohol,
- Jugs and spoons,
- Chocolate transfer sheets. The are available from most baking shops
1. Place your soap in the microwave on defrost until it has all melted,
2. While it is melting cut your transfer sheet to fit snugly into the base of the mould, shiny side in contact with the mould. i.e. facing down
3. Take your black oxide (mixed with a little alcohol to prevent it from clumping) and mix it into your melted soap.
4. Let the soap cool until it has a skin on it and is cool to the touch. Peel the skin away from the spout and gently pour into mould over the transfer. Leave the soap to cool for about 45 minutes or until cool and hard. Do not be impatient with this step or your transfer won't stick nicely.
5. Peel back the transfer and admire your beautiful soap.
Wrap your soap in cling wrap and place in a pretty bag tied with a nice ribbon.
Riverlea Soap


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Epic's Mark Rein seemingly laughed at the question when asked if Unreal Engine 4 would be available for Wii U. Rein has since clarified that this is not the case, and has also pointed out Unreal Engine 3's success on the Wii U/PS3/360.
Too Late Rein, you were laughing to it.
It's sad that he is trying to save face when many sites reported that he was indeed laughing at Wii-U
The damage has been done so, we can all pretty much put this behind us now. ;)
Before: Haha, you really think it can handle the power of UE4?!
After: Hey, UE3's nothing to laugh at, it sold well last gen, it as used for some great games.
He needs to save face after it was reported that Mass Effect won't be using the Unreal Engine anymore.
I really respect Nintendo for their contribution to the gaming world although I' am not a big fan.
In 90s Nintendo and Sony really paved the way for the home consoles, if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here in the gaming.
Poor get out argument but let's put it like this:
Samaritan, Elemental, Infiltrator. Wii U.
I bet you if enough money is on the table the wiiu will run it.
dont let them bs anyone. smh the wiiu is a low mid tier gaming pc and the ps4 and nextbox are basically mid tier pcs.
the ps3/360 are not even ranked as the lowest of lowest ranked gaming pcs decimate that hardware.
lol Wii U isn't even close to low pc. It's only a notch above ps3.
It's low mid tier gaming pc? And ps4 is mid tier. So there's not much difference in your eyes? Tell me some wii u games that look half as good as killzone or uncharted. According to your those aren't even the lowest ranking gaming pcs but they are currently still ahead of ninty's next gen efforts. It's really this simple: in terms of power of the console, Nintendo fell behind in a big way
Sorry to burst your bubble fanboys..
Did you even read the article, no probably just read the title I am assuming. This is about him completely changing his story now.
"Rein spoke with Engadget and clarified his comment from the presentation, noting that it's totally possible to run Unreal Engine 4 games on Wii U. "You heard the stupid gaffe yesterday about the Wii U," he said. "If someone wants to take Unreal Engine 4 and ship a game on Wii U, they can! If they wanna ship an Unreal Engine 4 game on Xbox 360, they could make it happen."
So is his engine really not that impressive? Or he is just full of shit? In my eyes yes it isn't this impressive this time around especially if it will still run well on the PS3 and Xbox 360. I am not going to discredit what Unreal has done but this time around they are not the best in my eyes.
Maybe I am blind.
At this point it is laughable. Nintendo pitched hard at E3 about having third party support and so far major publishers are skipping it.
He wasn't laughing AT the WiiU but, WITH it.
he has a right to laugh. It's his opinion, his question, his company. Who cares. Nintendo screwed up with their hardware yet again. No 3rd party support will be even further alienated.
"I was laughing at how the question only included the Wii U."
That makes absolutely no sense, and there isn't an ounce of funny in that question.
I think he's just tryna save face now lol.
Agreed, this man is an idiot! That truly makes no sense at all and he knows that he was laughing at the WiiU, he just wasn't thinking about all the potential money he was screwing up with his mouth that's all... Everyone knows its the cool thing to do, by hating on Nintendo right now until its not when the sales from the WiiU turns around.
He came across as a jerk to me! If they don't like Nintendo then that's cool but at least act a little professional, instead of laughing it up like a little kid.
I think after so many years of Nintendo consoles being a fairly terrible place to release third party games, a developer might have some inside jokes about Nintendo.
Just let it be. Unless Nintendo themselves are angry, who cares. You want the WiiU game pad, then buy it. You want a "next generation" console, then buy a PS4 or Xbox 723042305 with it.
Mark Rein thinks the Wii U is a joke. Nothing will save him now for insulting Nintendo's console.
But I don't really care because he showed off an Unreal 4 engine demo on the PS4.
Edit: What I mean this is that I'm only planning on buying a PS4 (unless the 720 turns out to be better) which is why I'm happy to see that Sonys console supports the latest unreal engine.
No offense :)
Motorola RAZR i
i mean how many nintendo games would require such a powerful engine?
Galaxy Note 2 16GB dual core
Like i've already said, if they wanted to they could enhance UE3 a lot.
Look at Soldier of Fortune 2 back in 2002, it was built on a highly enhanced Quake 3 engine and it looks a fair bit better than Quake 3 does. Goes to show you can do a lot with an engine if you work on it more.
Nintendo will probably suit up with it's next console. If they launch it within the next 3-4 years it'll put Microsoft and Sony in a weird position of either having to make due for another 2-3 years or releasing a new console. Nintendo's turned into something marketed for kids as of lately.
Don't really know why ppl seem surprised about this. Nintendo hasn't had stellar 3rd party support since the snes days. Although the GameCube did have decent 3rd party support during its life. I'm really hoping the wiiu can at least match the GameCube as it was on of my fav systems ever.
I'll take Cry-engine 3 over Unreal Engine 4 any day of the week.
Cry-engine 3: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
Unreal Engine 4: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
Its like the first commentor said. That demo was running on a single GTX680 and a GTX680 can't even run Crysis 3 at max setting without flaws. Cry-engine is way more advanced.
Cryengine looks a lot better to me. It also was made for "all" major consoles and was confirmed by its creator to have been running just fine on the Wii U.
I saw nothing in either of the Unreal Engine 4 tech demo's that matched the top secret tessellated toad tech.
What is so amazing about this? http://www.youtube.com/watc...
I think you're missing the point man, yes CryEngine is superior heck there are several games that don't use Unreal yet smoke the best it can offer.
The thing is UE3 was the most popular game engine this/last gen, an a $$ load of games utilised it, and it wasnt on the Wii ...do you get it now ?
UE with each gen has always been very popular with devs and you can expect the same with 4, UE4 not comming to the Wii-U for whatever reason is a HUGE problem games wise.
Why would anyone even care if he did laugh at it? It seems like a silly thing to care about. lol
WiiU fanboys trying to pretend 3rd party games don't matter.
You all stick to Mario 50, Zelda 20, Metroid 30 etc etc and so forth.
I'll stick to the PS3/4 with First party games that are old AND new IP's, 3rd party games and Indie titles.
Lots of choice and variety >>>>>>>&g t;> no variety
A "well said" bubble delivered to you sir, sponsored by yours truly. <3
Like call of duty 20, AC 20, Forza 20, GOW 20, Halo 20 ect ect.. I'm not even a Nintendo fanboy. Lets not forget that Nintendo have been around since the early 80s ;)
We've been playing the same games all gen. And guess what, next gen I'm sure we will see the same.
I can't stand COD, plus Forza and Halo are not on PS3 :|
This gen I've enjoyed, The Uncharted trilogy, Little big planet, GTA4, Red Dead Redmption, Tokyo Jungle, Borderlands 1 and 2, Demon Souls, White Knight Chronicals, Portal one and two, Half Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Heavy Rain, God of War series, Sly Cooper trilogy (old games but first time playing them, Oblivion, Skyrim, LA Noire, Journey, Braid, Wipeout, Gran Turismo, Transformers war for and fall of Cybertron, Batman Arkham Asylum and City, Street Fighter 4, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Mag, Tomb Raider, Far Cry 3, the Pixel Junk games.... And many more.
How many of those games came from last gen? I said already new AND old, however there is more new then old in that list. Surely if Nintendo have been round since the 80's they could of made more games no?
But then again I can reel off a slew of games I've enjoyed this gen from Nintendo.
Wii sports resort, Wario Ware, Sin and punishment, Fire Emblem, Zombi U, Punch out, Resi 4, Red steel, Mario Kart, Okami, Monster Hunter, Paper Mario, No more heroes, Dead Space extraction, Xenoblade, The Last story, atsunoko vs. Capcom, Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Lego City Undercover, Donkey Kong returns, ect ect.
Along with enjoying everything that Nintendo had to offer, I also enjoyed what MS and Sony had to offer along with all the 3rd party games that didn't get released on N console.
You go on like people that own a nintendo console have only been playing 3 game series.
Even developers are sick of fanboys and their moronic spin machine.
They really are. Talk to one sometime, they hate you guys.
The thing is no one has seen retros engine. For everyone whoowns a Wii U heres all you need to feel better bout our gam system.
A connected source told us that Retro Studios has been charged with creating game engines for Wii U and helping other developers implement them. While we didn't get any specifics on what exactly "other developers" means, our source commented that Retro's work involves both internal and external projects. The icing on the cake? Apparently Retro showed off their Wii U magic to Epic Games and got them to reconsider bringing Unreal Engine 4 to the system.
rather interesting. Where'd you find that little morsel
Sounds good-
But it's not sound until I read an official statement.
(Because someone else said that earlier But named no source.)
Too close to April.
Personally, I think Nintendo would do better just sharing fully rendered 3-D models across projects.
Even if they used UR3 if they could cut and paste objects from game to game- like say a bottle, groceries, or a candles- (via some central Data base from Japan to Texas) that could cut down on a lot of designer time.
Sure, you could make an UE4 game run on Wii U, but that would require so much work that you're better off just using UE3.
I don't think you will see any UE4 games on Wii U.
Soooooo... Epic itself is not gonna make UE4 run on the Wii U, but if another developer wants to take the engine and adapt it for the Wii U it can? That's kind of a really roundabout way of dealing business..........I think I know what these all these developers are doing, they want to just throw the Wii U under the rug, but they won't say it out right. This because pretty much every time they count out Nintendo, it still ends up being successful. They are just covering themselves so they can jump back on in case the Wii U becomes popular..........I'm not sure how I feel about that.
Who cares if he was, the Wii U is not about looking "next gen", it's about the way you play the games that make it "next gen"? I would say unique.
I recently made the jump from 360 to PC and at first the wow factor was there, games looked awesome. But at the end of the day I was still playing FC3, it looked a lot better but it didn't make me enjoy it anymore then I would of on ps3/360.
Playing ZombiU for the first time with the pad was awesome, it's just a shame I completed it.
Too late, this is going to lead to a whole load of developers choosing UE4 OR Nintendo next gen.
Although it may seem fine if you don't like platformers or kart racers, realistically, if you have an original game idea, you'll be unable to afford to risk it on the PS4 or 720.
Looks like he was trying to impress his little party friends and now he realizes he fudged up and has to start making apologies.
You can't just say the complete opposite of something then expect everyone to forgot that you had said something totally different before.
UE4 is not impressing me that much anyway not even on PC and yes I have seen all the demos in full 1080p.
Which is why most of the N4G pigeon trolls aren't really commenting on this post like they were on the original story. Now we have comments like "I don't even understand why people are upset that he laughed at the WiiU in the first place!" How dumb do people have to be to say something of the sort when what he was laughing at wasn't a true factual statement at all. If it was then that would be a different story then...
wii u has received nothing but negative feedback since launch (eve before it launched).. The name, its power, its features, its support, etc.. People didnt even know it was a new system.. & some still dont! Nintendo does have its fan base that will stick with em to the end so it will be ok but they made some very poor decisions with that thing.. i am a fan of their software because they have great developers but their hardware? ehhh not so much
Wii U is a blast, only downfall and it was expected is that of its cheaply implemented gpu. Why they did this again is baffling.
But that does not mean it is a bad chip, I believe it will keep up with nextgen for at least 3 years. The problem right now is that there are no good games on it, that really impress.
*What he probably meant to say is that Will the WiiU run the latest tech demos as shown, NO! Will the ps4? Sorta. AS you can see in the videos, even the PS4 has everything running at about a mid-high "Medium" settings.
Nintendo needs a new N64 style console with decent specs. Imho, N64 was their best hardware.. Not to mention the games.


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Somewhere in the 1870s, several families from Fayette and Tuscaloosa counties in Alabama moved to Hill County, Texas, to seek the promise of the rich soil and open lands. My great grandfather, Augustus Newell Edmonds, and his family were in the bunch. Other surnames include Stanley, Richards, and Chappell.
On Anne Chappell's web pages, I found a transcription of numerous letters back and forth between Texas and Alabama, dated from 1881 through 1977. According to a heading on the web page, the letters were saved by Eliza Hester Johns Stanley and her daughters, Missouri McKinney Stanley Chappell and Cornelia Josephine Stanley Chappell, and have been passed down for two more generations.
In addition to being Chappell family treasures, these letters provide insight into life in Central Texas in the late 1880s. To me, they provide glimpses of my great grandfather, as he and his wife are among the people mentioned:
C. McDuffs family is all well. gus Emmons is on the mend. R. D. & B. E. Standley and folks is all well. uncle jess Ben is complaining Some.
we went to gus Edmonds tuesday, to Tom's tuesday night, friday went to Ben's and Saturday we taken Rufe's wagon and mares and colts and Ben's Willie and went to Col's by ourselves.
pusses Liza called Bet Edmonds Narce all the time.
Elizabeth Shown Mills talks about the importance of the FAN club (Friends, Acquaintances, and Neighbors). These letters highlight how intertwined the families were.


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In a slow, dispassionate monotone, an FBI agent on Thursday read selections from an Oregon terrorism suspect's contributions to a jihadi magazine as prosecutors attempted to establish Mohamed Mohamud's mindset in the year before his arrest.
Mohamud's federal terrorism trial is in its third week, and prosecutors have tried to show Mohamud was predisposed to committing terrorism before a monthslong sting operation culminated with his November 2010 arrest.
As a teenager in 2009, Mohamud contributed to the online, English-language jihadi magazine "Jihad Recollections."
His contributions to the publication varied in focus and appeared alongside articles written by Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida higher-ups.
While bin Laden wrote a piece called "Four practical steps to expand global jihad," Mohamud's contributions were more innocuous and included a workout advice column to jihadis fighting in war zones. That column earned Mohamud the nickname "Osama Gym Laden" from a British tabloid.
In opening statements, one of Mohamud's defense attorneys described the workout advice from Mohamud as being akin to "high school gym class."
On Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Pam Holsinger pointed out a photo above the story, which included masked men holding guns.
"Does this look like high school gym class?" she asked FBI agent Ryan Dwyer.
Dwyer replied, "It does not."
Establishing Mohamud's state of mind before the FBI targeted him in a terrorism sting operation is key to the prosecution's assertion that it did not entrap a then-teenager, as his defense claims.
Mohamud's pseudonymous contributions to "Jihad Recollections" were made public soon after his indictment on charges that he attempted to detonate a bomb at Portland's 2010 Christmas-tree lighting ceremony. The bomb was a fake supplied by undercover FBI agents.
Jurors heard at least one straight hour of content from the magazine, read by Dwyer. The articles, written by a variety of authors other than Mohamud, were aimed at radicalizing Muslims in the U.S. and included advice on bringing recent Muslim converts into a war against the West.
The issue was a significant one at the time Mohamud was writing — more than a dozen Somali teenagers left Minneapolis in 2009, apparently en route to join a global jihad. The magazine also tracked with terror cases in the U.S., praising both the massacre at Fort Hood, outside Killeen, Texas, and an attempted bombing in Times Square.
Mohamud's defense team showed dozens of text messages intercepted by the FBI during his first year at Oregon State University. They showed a teenager preoccupied with partying, drinking and using marijuana.
By his sophomore year, after he'd began working with undercover FBI agents to plot an attack, Mohamud began telling friends that he was trying to give up drinking and partying. But the messages were interspersed with others asking for marijuana or talking about a night of partying.
Interactions with Mohamud's parents indicated they were having marital problems. In September, Mohamud's father texted, "Also, I need ur help. I'm thinking of bringing back your mom..."


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Collier County, Floridas Paradise Coast, including the communities of Naples and Marco Island, has more than 80 percent of its acreage dedicated to parks, preserves and nature sanctuaries. With direct flights available from cities such as Toronto, Chicago, Dallas and Baltimore, its a popular getaway for eco travelers looking to enjoy water and wildlife while having access to comfortable vacation amenities. For example, a frugal transportation option for visitors is the Naples Bay Water Shuttle. At just $5 per day, travelers can get on and off the boat at various community stops as many times as they see fit. Many use it as a cost-effective way to pub hop, shop the stores or simply enjoy the towns coastal scenery. Other money-saving vacation options are available as well. (See also: Going Green on the Road)
Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge are just a few of the Paradise Coasts nature attractions, making it a terrific bargain for travelers with an America the Beautiful Pass from the National Park Service. The $80 card provides access to all federal recreation lands, providing a serious savings avenue for frequent adventure travelers. Those who arrive with their own kayaks can enjoy the Paradise Coast Blueway, a network of public paddling trails designed to provide explorers an up-close-and-personal peek at area birds, plant life and water dwellers. For those that feel more secure with a formal tour, Naples Marina and Excursions offers nature-knowledgeable guides available for fee-based experiences. If paddling your way to the areas bird hangouts is more than your joints can handle, the company also offers multi-person sunset nature cruises for $35 per ticket.
For a family-friendly activity that helps fund real science while providing a full afternoon of entertainment, consider booking a tour with The Dolphin Explorer project on Marco Island. At $59 per ticket, vacationers embark on a three-hour excursion to collect actual scientific data about the local dolphin community to be uploaded from the on-board computer. Tots and teens are actively engaged for the duration of the experience, via interactive spotting with the crew, identifying specific creatures through unique fin markings, a scavenger hunt activity, a shelling break on a private island beach and stitched commemorative patches with which to remember the day. Dolphin-study.com has further details. (See also: Family Vacation Experiences for Science Buffs)
Tommy Bahama fans will want to check out the chains original café on Third Street South in Naples. Splurge on their macadamia-encrusted snapper with a coconut shrimp appetizer, or keep it cheap with their protein-packed, vegetarian bungalow salad for $8. Additional artisan sides are available for just $5 each, including cauliflower mash, plantain chips and grilled asparagus. The venues daily Island Time happy hour offers superior value as well, with discounted cocktails and small plate treats starting at $5. (See also: Where to Find Great Grub for Less)
McCabes Irish Pub and Grill located on Fifth Avenue South offers fun, affordable fare as well. Several pre-meal snacks are available for less than $9, including spinach-artichoke dip, fried green tomato slices and cheesy potato skins with sour cream. An extreme mushroom flatbread and generously-sized Mediterranean salad are also available for roughly $11 each. For a diverse offering of Asian dishes at a great price, Charlie Chiangs has appetizers starting at $4, several soup selections at $3 each, and a number of noodle entrees available for $10. (See also: How to Score Vacation Food at Affordable Prices)
Double Tree Suites by Hilton offers an affordable family overnight option with room packages starting at less than $200, including breakfast for two adults and two children younger than 12. The venue also has complimentary hot cookies available throughout the day, and a fee-free coffee and tea bar in the lobby. Honeymooners searching for an affordable splurge may want to consider the historic and newly-remodeled Inn on Fifth. Offering luxury rooms for as low as $239 at certain times of year, the venue is conveniently located in a sought-after downtown shopping district. With a next-door community theater, free valet parking and walkable beach access, its an affordably-decadent option for a weekend excursion.
Photo Credits: Trek Hound


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Northern Michigan Events: 2011 Ultimate Up North Kitchen Tour
Northern Michigan Events: On October 15 we'll host our fourth Ultimate Up North Kitchen Tour. And once again we have a lineup of all-star kitchens that run the gamut of styles from modern to farmhouse and locations from Cadillac to Cheboygan. To whet your appetite, pick up our October 2011 issue of Traverse Magazine—on stands now—that contains the guide to the tour. Although there are usually several über-efficient and energetic couples that manage to take in all the kitchens in one day, we don't expect that pace is for everyone—which is why we've kept the ticket price to a reasonable $10.
But it is possible to see the majority of these kitchens in a leisurely fall drive—a drive that wends past part of the spectacular featured color tour in the October 2011 issue of Traverse Magazine. And once again the route works out perfectly to ride the Ironton Ferry at least one way. This charming old-timey ferry across the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix has come to signify for me what an incredible opportunity this tour is to get out and see Northern Michigan in all its autumnal glory—and pop in and out of to-die-for-kitchens along the way. The tour route spans a wide swath of landscape—from bluff top views of Lake Michigan to narrow lanes flanked by oaks and maples. Not to mention that these kitchens themselves are tucked into some pretty exquisite real estate.
And when the tour wends to East Jordan and Boyne City, I'll do as the guide directions advise between kitchens # 4 and #5 and drive my car onto the four-cable ferry that crosses—and has been crossing since 1876—the thin reach of water at this picturesque narrows on Lake Charlevoix. I will have my camera and my $3.25 (per car) fare ready. And I'll be basking in this delicious dovetail of our region's stunning scenery and sophisticated design sensibilities with an event that benefits Habitat for Humanity.
Hope to see you out there!


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Get WRITE down to it!
Attend the Shocking Real Life MOTHER'S DAY Writers Retreat Weekend to Jump Start Your Book!
May 7–8, 2016
Reserve Your Spot Now!
This is not your average writer's retreat! This writing seminar is a lively, active, results-oriented symposium of creative and accomplished authors, attendees and answers to the questions that have been dogging you for years regarding how to go about getting a book deal. At the end of this book-writing retreat you will have a surmountable format for mapping out your book, the components you need to pitch a literary agent, including the agent contact information and the sample pages you need to send the agent. So, with that said, what's stopping you?
Click the button below to enroll in The Shocking Real Life Writers Retreat with Hollis Gillespie on May 7–8, 2016 (Or to register by phone, call 678-661-7080)
Price: $374* 100% Safe and Secure – We are PayPal verified. (SRL Alumni, enter the coupon code WRITEATLANTA to receive your $40 discount!) Click now and you'll get an immediate email confirming your seat. Instant confirmation only available online. *Includes snacks, beverages and inappropriate conversation. (See the end of this post for Atlanta class location.)
Coming from out of town? Click here to see the lovely hotels and Bed & Breakfasts very near the SRL Learning Center!
Okay, you have a fantastic idea for a book — but do you know how to begin, finish, and sell it? Or let's say you've already finished a manuscript, but now you're at an impasse trying to get the attention of agents and publishers.Whether you're at the idea stage or in the home stretch, this weekend will show you how to navigate the competitive world of book publishing and get your project sold.
Fact: People who enroll in this workshop become bestsellers!
Christal Presley, author of 30 Days with my Father, became a best-seller after taking this workshop. She's been featured on NPR, Atlanta Journal Constitution and others news outlets. Click here to see her on Fox News.
"[Hollis Gillespie's] writing class is where my life was TOTALLY and COMPLETELY changed forever!"
Christal Presley
Lisa Baron, author of Life of the Party; a Political Press Tart Tells All, became an Amazon best-seller after taking this class. Recently she sold her film rights to NBC! Click here to see her feature in Atlantamagazine.
"I had two things working for me that I believe made the difference: determination and Hollis Gillespie's kick-ass work shop! The workshop gave me the confidence I needed to continue following my dream of becoming a published author. She was key to helping me fine tune my proposal and her personal involvement in my journey has been invaluable." Lisa Baron
"I wanted to THANK YOU, Hollis, for your workshop. It played a crucial role in being able to complete and submit a successful book proposal."Rachael Brownell
(Check out the clip below to see what past participants have to say!)
Reserve Your Spot Now!
Click the button below to enroll in The Shocking Real Life Atlanta Writers Writers Conference with Hollis Gillespie on May 7–8, 2016 (Or to register by phone, call 678-661-7080)
Click now and you'll get an immediate email confirming your seat. Instant confirmation only available online. *Includes snacks, beverages and inappropriate conversation. (See the end of this post for Atlanta class location.)
(SRL Alumni, enter the coupon code WRITEATLANTA to receive your $40 discount!)
GIFT this class to someone you love! Enrollees will receive a gorgeous gift certificate attached to your confirmation email (if I do say so my own damn self). Printable, and ready to put under a bow! WOW, how great will THAT look ?
Whether you're at the idea stage or in the home stretch, this weekend will show you how to navigate the competitive world of book publishing and get your project sold.
- In this workshop, you'll learn:
- The marketability of your idea, and how to make it more so
- How to pitch an agent for representation and write the perfect query
- What publishers and agents are really looking for and what they hate
- How to avoid the most common rookie mistakes
- Which pages to send to a literary agent as a sample of your work (hint: It's rarely the very first pages)
- How publishing houses and literary agencies benefit the author
- How to decipher the miasma of advances, royalties, subsidiary rights, foreign rights, and dramatic rights
Hollis Gillespie and a collective of other successful authors will share their secrets to unclogging your creative arteries so you can tell the world what you've been telling your friends all this time; that your book idea is a slam dunk, and now it's time to cash it in. She and the other co-hosts will offer their candid critiques, suggestions for selling your work, and answer all your questions about breaking into book publishing.
Here's some more things you will learn:
- How to pick an eye-grabbing title.
- Which genre best suits your idea (Memoir? Novel? Self-help? Humor?)
- When it's permissible to embroider, improvise, and reorder real-life events.
- Exactly how to format your pitch letter.
- Exactly which agent to pitch (including contact info).
- How and when to contact agents.
- The difference between an illuminating essay and a journal entry.
And that's not all, classes come with complimentary booze and finger food, as well as inappropriate conversation and other basic essentials for unleashing creativity and unlocking buried memories. Classes fill up quickly, so sign-up now!
Coming from out of town? Check out the Highland Inn, a charming, inexpensive boutique hotel within walking distance of the SRL Learning Center. It's in the center of the artsy Virginia Highlands neighborhood, near popular restaurants, artisan gift shops, coffee houses and bars.
The Shocking Real Life Writers Conference Itinerary:
11:00 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Morning One-Hour Workshop hosted by Hollis Gillespie or a renowned guest speaker. Learn the slew of rookie mistakes that keep your manuscript from the eyes of a literary agent, and the surprisingly simple insider tricks that put your pitch ahead of all the others.
- Continental Breakfast — coffee, tea, hot cocoa, etc. (doughnuts will definitely make a showing).
- Introductory discussion with Hollis Gillespie, topics to include finding an agent and publisher for your manuscript, determining the genre of your book, breaking down doors and ass-kicking writing techniques.
- Lunch is served with complimentary mimosas and inappropriate conversation (useful for dislodging buried creativity). Menu to include items like 5-cheese flatbread, mushroom-and-spinach flatbread, deli spirals, fresh fruit and POT LUCK!. Coffee, tea and snacks will also be available throughout the day during workshops.
- Initial individual assessment of attendees' manuscripts and ideas for manuscripts. Here is your chance to work on the preliminary format, working title and points of an elevator pitch for your manuscript or manuscript idea. Anytime you pitch to an agent, you need to sum up your book in one sentence. It's harder than it sounds, and believe it or not it often falls to this precise sentence to make or break an agent's decision to take you on as a client.
- Writing exercises. Material assessment. Homework distribution. (Yep. Homework, though we don't make you sit in a corner if you don't turn it in the next day.) (It's fun homework, though, so you will want to do it.)
11:00 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Continental breakfast.
- Format your book, pitch an agent, learn to avoid rookie mistakes AS WELL AS learn the secrets that will put you ahead of 80 percent of the competition — it's Hollis Gillespie's sure-fire formula that has helped DOZENS of people get agent representation and/or book deals.
- Material assessment. Choosing the pages to present to the agent. (Hint: It's almost never the very first pages.) How to treat, clean, edit and prepare your pages for presentation to an editor. Writing exercises.
- Lunch with complimentary mimosas and inappropriate conversation (marvelous for unblocking buried creativity)
- Afternoon workshop: The Con Game: Keeping Confidence That Your Work Will Work, hosted by Pulitzer Prize nominee Charles McNair, whose first novel, Land O'Goshen (St. Martin's Press) received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for fiction and critical acclaim from the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post, and other venerated publications. This workshop is a personal approach to helping writers who haven't broken through to keep believing they will. Charles will discuss the little ways you can build and nourish confidence along the way, until the novel is ready to be born, or the big work. "This is a topic that really deeply matters to me, since I struggled 10 years before a first book was ready," says Charles. His novel, Land O' Goshen (St. Martin's Press, 1994) received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for fiction and was critically acclaimed by The New York Times and Washington Post.
- Each attendee will be assigned the contact info of a literary agent who is in the market for their type of material, and by the end of the weekend they will have a pitch letter formulated to attract that agent, a workable format for their manuscript plus 10 sample pages to include with their agent pitch.
- Your goal, by the end of this book-writers boot camp, is to have completed a professionally written query package to pitch your book, which includes a surmountable and creative format for your manuscript or book idea, a researched, completed pitch letter to a literary agent, and 10 professionally edited and treated sample pages to include with your query. Just give us this one weekend! Your life will change.


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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A Second Chance for Love
I'm doing the release day happy dance today, because Broken Pentacle, my multicultural witch paranormal ménage, is now available at Loose Id. This book continues my Pentacle Series, following Nature's Pentacle, and can also be read as a stand alone.
Here's the blurb: A brutal attack left Sky wounded, body and spirit. Her body's recovered but her soul and her magic need healing before she can face her ex. The cure lies in sexual bonding with another witch. She's not expecting two.
I'm pleased with how my book trailer turned out for Broken Pentacle, and I'd love for you to check it out! Click here. If you're curious about my earlier Pentacle novel, here's a link for the book trailer to Nature's Pentacle. Click here.
Sky and Alec wrapped their way around my heart in a stranglehold because they'd been hurt, had made mistakes, and had such fierce determination to get things right this time. And Zach, oh wow, that sexy ex-cop, kick-ass-witch of a bodyguard with a hawk tattoo on his shoulder and attitude to spare brought so much passion to the triad of witches that he took my breath away.
Here's a taste of what's ahead when you pick up a copy of Broken Pentacle:
Alec moved from the chair to the end of the bed, careful not to crowd her but obviously seeking contact. With a shaky breath, Sky reached out and touched his hand. Although her shields held at full force, thoughts and images leaped across at the contact. Mostly she saw fragments from the time he'd spent convalescing in Sweden. Go figure. The senator managed to end up at a mountain resort, and she got a year with a bunch of goats in Mexico. Guess it was a fitting punishment.
When Alec winced, she knew he'd picked up that last bit. Whatever fragile connection stretched between them, her psychic abilities latched onto the link and refused to let go.
"Senator Kouklakis died -- I got a new identity to go with the Swedish vacation. Alec Brennan, eccentric drifter."
"You miss it? Political life?" Images of him wheeling and dealing on the Senate floor flooded her head. Of course he missed it. "Hey, I've got my shields up a mile high. Stay out of my head."
"Not trying to get in it. I'm shielded, too." He hesitated, then reached up to push a mass of wavy brown hair away from his face. "And I miss politics less than I thought. What's happening now, dealing with Jaimis, this is more important."
Sky watched in fascination as he worried strands of hair between his thumb and forefinger. With his hair wild around his shoulders, he looked fierce and untamed. Golden skin stretched across lean, runner's muscles, interrupted only by his jade green boxer shorts.
Those first few weeks they'd spent healing at Sorren's estate, Alec had clung to the trappings of civilization, wrapping himself in designer suits, regardless of his raw back and battered psyche. But gone were the two-hundred-dollar haircut, blond highlights, and butter-soft shoes that probably cost more than her house. Strike that -- her former house, long since consigned to ashes by a bunch of anti-witch vigilantes.
"The wild man image suits you." Despite herself, she inched closer, drawn by the musky male scent mingled with traces of soap and shampoo. She hesitated, then rested her palm over his wrist. A riot of heat rose from her belly and spread upward toward her breasts.
"I missed you, after Sorren moved us out of the country to safer ground." Something about him plucked an emotional chord deep inside her.
The man was almost old enough to be her father -- never mind the deceptive youthfulness characteristic of witches. Hell, she was closer in age to his son, Matt, than she was to Alec. And yet, the pull between them was unmistakable.
Feeling vulnerable in the face of emotions she couldn't understand, Sky wrapped the terrycloth robe tighter around her, a thin shield between her and disappointment. Alec regarded her, his clear, brown eyes flecked with amber, and when the silence stretched between them, she looked down at her legs crossed yoga-style on the blue bedspread.
"Your hair's longer. I like it that way, like a black waterfall down your back." Alec swallowed audibly. "You don't wear it long to hide -- I mean, you don't still have…"
The pain in his voice spurred her into action. "No. Here, see?" She untied the loosely knotted belt of her borrowed robe, let the folds of terrycloth drop around her waist, turned, and lifted her hair clear of her back. "The witch healers did their jobs well."
Bending forward, she let him study the unmarred expanse of skin. She shivered when he trailed his fingers along her spine and explored smooth flesh where she knew he remembered a mess of healing lacerations. Relaxing under his gentle exploration, she let her face rest on her arms and enjoyed the liquid fire that followed his touch along her skin.
"Only one lash was too deep to erase the scar." Never mind the million scars on the inside. She sat up and lifted the soft terrycloth clear of her left thigh, guiding Alec's hand over the crescent moon-shaped scar no longer than her thumb.
"Mine's here." Alec eased the boxers down on his right side, revealing a jagged scar a hand span long across his hip. "The rest healed clean."
Without thinking, Sky bent down and kissed the tip of the puckered flesh, then trailed a row of kisses along the length of the scar. Startled, she felt Alec claw his way into her head again, hungry and amazed at her casual acceptance of the ugly mark.
"What Jaimis did to us, the way he tied our fates together, it's like he was some sort of dark artist…" Alec's breath came in short gasps as Sky kissed her way along the length of the raised line of tissue again. "And after a point, he'd shed so much of our blood that it was like mixing paint, blending the colors until he left some of each of us with the other."
Fuck. Damned if she'd let him see her cry. "Those six weeks when we were too sick to travel, you could always think of something to make me laugh through the pain."
She left the rest unsaid. And you were the only one who could help me cry.
"That's what you want? To cry? Or to laugh?" Alec helped her sit up beside him, cradling her chin in his palm, and she leaned forward, seeking a kiss, a caress, anything to ease the thirst she had for him. "Because whatever we do here tonight, I need to understand what you need."
Happy reading!
7 comments:
- Liza James said...
Great excerpt, Eden! One of these days I'm just going to print out all your stories, lay in the tub and have an Eden Rivers marathon. ;-)
- August 19, 2008 at 12:04 PM
- Savannah Chase said...
congrats on the book and i love the cover...story is hot
- August 19, 2008 at 12:29 PM
- Eden Rivers said...
Liza--lol on the tub reading marathon. Sounds good to me. I still have so many stories by my friends in my TBR pile that I'd give anything for a few solid days of reading time!
Savannah--thanks! I've been really lucky to have Anne Cain doing my covers at Loose Id. I love her artwork :-)
- August 19, 2008 at 9:44 PM
- Michelle said...
Congratulations Eden! Can I just take a moment to savor the hotness of the cover models? Especially the Asian guy on the left. *fans self*
- August 23, 2008 at 12:18 PM
- Eden Rivers said...
Thanks, Michelle. And yes, the consensus does seem to be that the cover model on the left is beyond drool-worthy, lol. I love Anne Cain's cover art :-)
- August 25, 2008 at 3:30 PM
- Minx Malone said...
Your cover is gorgeous as usual! I can't wait to read it. Congrats Eden :)
- September 1, 2008 at 12:57 PM
- Eden Rivers said...
Thanks, Minx! Anne Cain, the artist who did my cover, is one of my very favorite people. Her covers just keep getting hotter and hotter :-) I can't wait to see what my next one, for Fighting the Undertow, is like.
- September 10, 2008 at 7:51 PM


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|The Score Artists @ Work Member Directory Premier Partners Seminar Downloads SCL Videos NY Home Forum Ambassador Program Mentor Program Hall of Fame In Memoriam Lifetime Achievement Emerging Composer
The SCL takes great pride in paying tribute to those whose contributions have been remarkable and whose careers have been iconic.
The SCL Hall of Fame
The first SCL Hall of Fame Awards were presented at the 2002 State of the Art Conference, Saturday, June 1st, 2002 at The Directors Guild of America, Hollywood.
Elmer Bernstein announced the awards for George and Ira Gershwin, Bernard Herrmann, Erich Korngold, Henry Mancini, and Max Steiner.


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Once upon a time, an ice cream cone cost only ten cents. You could walk into a drug store with your ice-cream-loving dad and have a seat at the soda fountain.
It didn't take long to decide; the only flavors available were vanilla, chocolate, and orange sherbet in one of those Styrofoam cones. On those hot summer nights, the only problem was licking the ice cream before it melted all over your hand. Then the "31 flavors" chain came on the scene. That was heaven, but the dilemma was making up one's mind, staring endlessly into the glass cases while the mint-chocolate-chip dad waited impatiently. No one felt even a tinge of guilt devouring such a high-fat, sugary, additive-filled treat. No one knew about such things; ignorance was bliss.
Fast-forward to the '90s. (I didn't say that was my memory. That would make me too old.) Supermarket aisles are filled with designer ice creams and sorbets. Frozen yogurt stands can be found in bizarre places such as airports. Upscale coffee shops and book stores feature granitas. It's just too much. Life was so uncomplicated and tranquil when there were only three flavors. If you can stand just two more flavors, here are some frozen treats that won't cause even a tinge of guilt (now that we know better).
Homemade ice creams are a great way to use up ripened summer fruit. An ice cream maker is good to have because it's faster and easier but all you really need is a blender and a freezer to beat the heat. Homemade ice cream is softer than commercial ice cream, so don't expect it to get very firm. It should be just hard enough to scoop. In fact, it tastes best a little mushy because once ice crystals are formed, some of the texture and flavor is gone. After the ice cream is done, it's best to eat it within two hours. Otherwise, remove it from the freezer about 15 minutes before eating to let it thaw. Mush it around a bit and it's ready to eat. Get those cones ready...
Method I: Ice Cream Machine
George Washington had one of the first ice cream machines in this country. Hopefully yours is technologically superior to his. If you have a recent ice cream maker, it's probably the kind that requires you to freeze a metal canister before making ice cream. This requires you to plan ahead by placing the canister in the deep freeze or the coldest part of your refrigerator's freezer at least 24 hours in advance. The ice cream mixture will need to be very cold before pouring it into the canister. Otherwise, follow the instruction booklet.
Method II: Freeze 'n' Whisk
You guessed it. You're the machine.
Pick out a shallow baking pan or plastic container such as a 9-by-9-inch cake pan. It needs to have enough room to whisk the ice cream. Arrange the food in your freezer so there's a flat spot for the pan. Pour the ice cream mixture into the pan and place carefully in the freezer. Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap.
Set the timer for 30 minutes. After the timer goes off, remove the pan from the freezer. Using a wire whisk, beat the ice cream until the frozen pieces are mixed into the mushy stuff. Return the pan to the freezer and set the timer again for 30 minutes. Repeat this process 3 to 5 times, depending on the temperature of your freezer. What happens if you forget about it for 12 hours? It'll be rock hard. Break it into chunks and pulse it in the food processor to make it creamy again.
Easy Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup barley-malt-sweetened chocolate chips or regular chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vanilla soy milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup
In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring often so they don't burn. When the chips are just melted, add the soy milk and stir until smooth. You may need to add more soy milk if the sauce is too thick. Taste to see if the sauce needs sweetening, then add the maple syrup.
Microwave method: put the chocolate in a glass measuring cup and heat for about 30 seconds until melted, stirring as needed. Stir in the soy milk and heat for another 10 seconds or so. Serve while hot or briefly reheat in the microwave.
Raspberry-Peach Sorbet
1 pint fresh raspberries
4 large peaches
3 tablespoons Welch's frozen passion-fruit juice concentrate
Line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap. Peel the peaches and cut into 1-inch chunks. Spread the berries and peaches onto the cookie sheet and freeze for 60 to 90 minutes, until the fruit is solid but not rock hard. Place the frozen fruit into a food processor or blender with the juice concentrate. Pulse until smooth. Serve at once or return to the freezer in a chilled plastic container. Let it soften slightly before serving.
Coffee Granita
Use decaf coffee if you want to eat this granita after dinner. You may want to add more sweetener if you like your granita very sweet.
10 whole cardamom pods
2 cups 1% or 296 milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2 cups strong brewed coffee (I used 1/2 cup ground Starbuck's with 2 cups water.)
Prepare the coffee. Stir the espresso powder into the coffee; let cool. Using the flat side of a large knife, smash the cardamom pods slightly. Put them in a large saucepan with the milk. Heat just until it begins to boil and remove from heat. Stir in the corn syrup, maple syrup, and sugar. Put a few inches of cold water in the sink. Pour the coffee into the saucepan and place the saucepan in the water to cool. When the mixture is cooled, pour through a strainer into a shallow pan or plastic container. Freeze for one hour; remove and whisk. Repeat until the granita is no longer watery. It should be slightly mushy. Serve in a glass with a spoon. 'If you can't find cardamom pods anywhere, try a Middle Eastern grocery or substitute a cinnamon stick.
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
You'll need the ripest sweetest berries for this ice cream. Go strawberry pickin'! If your supermarket's berries are hard and tasteless, use unsweetened frozen strawberries. Partially defrost them first in a bowl and use the juice.
2 pints ripe strawberries (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vanilla yogurt (it doesn't matter if it's low-fat or nonfat)
Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Cut them in half and place in a blender with the orange juice and water. Blend until smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar and yogurt. Pour into an ice cream machine or shallow pan according to Method I or II. Eat or freeze in a plastic container. Let frozen yogurt soften again before eating.
Ginger Freeze
Here's a creamy refreshing ice cream for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Soy milk has the consistency of cream without all the fat. The ginger disguises the soy flavor for all of you soy milk haters.
1 32-ounce vanilla soy milk chilled (I use Westsoy Plus, not the 1%fat kind)
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Put the chilled soy milk in a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Put the blender in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to soften the ginger. Blend on high until smooth and foamy. Taste to see if it needs additional maple syrup or vanilla, since different brands of soy milk vary in flavor. Pour into an ice cream freezer or a shallow pan according to either Method I or II. The ginger freeze is ready when it's the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Eat or transfer to a chilled, plastic container and freeze. If it gets too hard, let the container sit on the counter for 10 minutes or so until the ice cream softens. The texture is at its best when eaten within two hours of preparation. Crystallized ginger can be found in the ethnic food aisle of the supermarket, an Asian grocery, or a health food store. The ginger should not be rock hard, but pliable enough to chop easily.
Variation: Maple-Nut Freeze
32 ounces vanilla soy milk, well chilled
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
1/2 cup choked walnuts
Toast the chopped nuts in a dry skillet until fragrant, watching so they don't bum. Blend all the ingredients, except the nuts, until foamy. Pour into an ice cream machine or shallow pan. Stir in the nuts and freeze according to Method I or II.
Homemade Ice Cream Toppings
Here are some ideas for the folks who don't prefer naked ice cream.
*Serve your favorite frozen stuff over a brownie, pound cake, or a toasted waffle.
Top with a berry or chocolate sauce.
*Make a banana split. Or how about a peach split, a melon split ...you get the idea.
*Set up a frozen-yogurt bar with toppings such as carob chips, nuts, coconut, chopped fruit, or crumbled cookies.


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Do you want better service from your physician? If so, Rhode Island Concierge Medicine might be what you need.
Imagine connecting with a doctor who knows you and not just your medical chart?
Imagine that doctor being available to you anytime you need?
That is what Rhode Island Concierge Doctors can do for you.
You deserve the highest quality, proactive Rhode Island concierge medical care that puts your needs as a patient first.
You need a Rhode Island Concierge Doctor
- The last time you called your doctor's office, how long did you have to wait?
- How long do you usually have to wait to get an appointment or wait for a prescription to be called in?
- When you get to the office, how long do you spend in the waiting room and how much time does the doctor spend with you?
- Do you have an uneasy feeling about your future health care requirements?
- Do you see a physician assistant or nurse practitioner when you go to your physician's office with the expectation of seeing your doctor?
Physicians no longer build personal relationships with their patients, and health care is reactive rather than proactive. As a result, we waste billions every year managing preventable conditions, while the health of our patients is compromised.
Rhode Island Concierge Medicine is a growing solution and the answer to your growing healthcare concerns.
What Exactly Is Concierge Medicine?
Concierge medicine is a private form of practice where doctors charge patients an out-of-pocket retainer fee for full access to their services.
Unfortunately, NC healthcare today is driven solely by the bottom line. Insurance companies now dictate what care a patient can or cannot receive.
The health care system today is unresponsive, disorganized, overwhelming and fraught with frustration and uncertainty.
Physicians spend an average of ten minutes or less with each patient. In fact, Medicare has created incentives for doctors to see more patients in even shorter intervals.
Concierge medicine allows doctors to charge a flat monthly fee for services.
Patient loads typically decrease when a physician switches from more traditional fee-per-service practice to concierge medicine.
Many concierge practices offer same or next day appointments, no long waits for appointments or prescription refills, direct access to your personal physician day or night, house calls if necessary, continuing care if hospitalized, complete physical examinations, audiometry screening, cardiovascular and cancer risk screening, more attention to preventive care, unrushed appointments, all questions answered, family meetings if needed, coordination of care with specialists, provision of personal health records on CDs or flash drives, etc., etc.
Office visits are at least 30 minutes, basic tests are provided at no additional charge, and patients enjoy phone and email access to their physicians. Some practices may offer more services, such as house calls, free EKGs and medications at wholesale prices. Practices can elect to continue to accept Medicare and Medicaid or opt out of all types of insurance reimbursements, giving them more freedom to practice without following the mandates that come with insurance paper work.
Overall, the concept of concierge medicine provides a good alternative to the currently unsatisfying traditional model of medical practice.
A concierge doctor may have 500 patients, while a doctor in a traditional practice may have 2,000. The doctor with the 500 patients is on retainer and has predictable revenue. The physician also spends more time with the patient and gets to know them. The doctor with thousands of patients may be hard-pressed to form that same type of relationship and is paid only when a patient comes in.