text:
Republic of the Congo
Coordinates: 1°26′24″S 15°33′22″E / 1.44°S 15.556°E
|Republic of the Congo
République du Congo (French)
|Motto: "Unité, Travail, Progrès" (French)
"Unity, Work, Progress"
|Anthem: La Congolaise (French)
The Congolese
Location of Republic of the Congo (dark blue)
– in Africa (light blue & dark grey)
and largest city
|Official languages
|Recognised regional languages
|Ethnic groups
|Presidential republic
|Denis Sassou Nguesso
|Upper house
|Lower house
|National Assembly
|from France
|August 15, 1960
|342,000 km2 (64th)
132,047 sq mi
|Water (%)
|2014 estimate
|4,662,446[1] (125th)
|12.8/km2 (204th)
33.1/sq mi
|2014 estimate
|$21.992 billion[2]
|Per capita
|GDP (nominal)
|2014 estimate
|$14.705 billion[2]
|Per capita
| 0.564[3]
medium · 140th
|Central African CFA franc (XAF)
|Time zone
|Drives on the
|Calling code
|ISO 3166 code
|Internet TLD
The Republic of the Congo (French: République du Congo), also known as Congo Republic[4] or Congo-Brazzaville, is a country located in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda.
The region was dominated by Bantu-speaking tribes, who built trade links leading into the Congo River basin. Congo-Brazzaville was formerly part of the French colony of Equatorial Africa.[1] Upon independence in 1960, the former colony of French Congo became the Republic of the Congo. The People's Republic of the Congo was a Marxist–Leninist single-party state from 1970 to 1991. Multi-party elections have been held since 1992, although a democratically elected government was ousted in the 1997 Republic of the Congo Civil War.
- 1 History
- 2 Government and politics
- 3 Geography and climate
- 4 Economy
- 5 Transportation
- 6 Demographics
- 7 Culture
- 8 See also
- 9 References
- 10 Further reading
- 11 External links
Bantu-speaking peoples who founded tribes during the Bantu expansions largely displaced and absorbed the earliest inhabitants of the region, the Pygmy people, about 1500 BC. The Bakongo, a Bantu ethnicity that also occupied parts of present-day Angola, Gabon and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formed the basis for ethnic affinities and rivalries among those countries. Several Bantu kingdoms—notably those of the Kongo, the Loango, and the Teke—built trade links leading into the Congo River basin.[5]
The Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reached the mouth of the Congo in 1484.[6] Commercial relationships quickly grew up between the inland Bantu kingdoms and European merchants who traded various commodities, manufactured goods, and slaves captured from the hinterlands. For centuries the Congo river delta served as a major commercial hub for transatlantic trade. However, direct European colonization of the area began in the late 19th century and eroded the power of the Bantu societies in the region.[7]
French colonial era[edit]
The area north of the Congo River came under French sovereignty in 1880 as a result of Pierre de Brazza's treaty with Makoko of the Bateke.[6] This Congo Colony became known first as French Congo, then as Middle Congo in 1903. In 1908, France organized French Equatorial Africa (AEF), comprising Middle Congo, Gabon, Chad, and Oubangui-Chari (the modern Central African Republic). The French designated Brazzaville as the federal capital. Economic development during the first 50 years of colonial rule in Congo centered on natural-resource extraction. The methods were often brutal: establishment of the Congo–Ocean Railroad following World War I has been estimated to have cost at least 14,000 lives.[6]
During the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, Brazzaville functioned as the symbolic capital of Free France between 1940 and 1943.[8] The Brazzaville Conference of 1944 heralded a period of major reform in French colonial policy. Congo benefited from the postwar expansion of colonial administrative and infrastructure spending as a result of its central geographic location within AEF and the federal capital at Brazzaville.[5] It also received a local legislature after the adoption of the 1946 constitution that established the Fourth Republic.
Following the revision of the French constitution that established the Fifth Republic in 1958, the AEF dissolved into its constituent parts, each of which became an autonomous colony within the French Community. During these reforms, Middle Congo became known as the Republic of the Congo in 1958[9] and published its first constitution in 1959.[10] Antagonism between the pro-Opangault Mbochis and the pro-Youlou Balalis resulted in a series of riots in Brazzaville in February 1959, which the French Army subdued.[11]
Post-independence era[edit]
The Republic of the Congo received full independence from France on August 15, 1960. Fulbert Youlou ruled as the country's first president until labour elements and rival political parties instigated a three-day uprising that ousted him. The Congolese military took charge of the country briefly and installed a civilian provisional government headed by Alphonse Massamba-Débat.
Under the 1963 constitution, Massamba-Débat was elected President for a five-year term.[5] During Massamba-Débat's term in office the regime adopted "scientific socialism" as the country's constitutional ideology.[12] In 1965, Congo established relations with the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, North Korea and North Vietnam.[12] Massamba-Débat was unable to reconcile various institutional and ideological factions[12] and his regime ended abruptly with a bloodless coup d'état in August 1968.
Marien Ngouabi, who had participated in the coup, assumed the presidency on December 31, 1968. One year later, President Ngouabi proclaimed Congo Africa's first "people's republic", the People's Republic of the Congo, and announced the decision of the National Revolutionary Movement to change its name to the Congolese Labour Party (PCT). On March 16, 1977, President Ngouabi was assassinated. An 11-member Military Committee of the Party (CMP) was named to head an interim government with Joachim Yhombi-Opango to serve as President of the Republic. Two years later, Yhombi-Opango was forced from power and Denis Sassou Nguesso become the new president.[5]
Sassou Nguesso aligned the country with the Eastern Bloc and signed a twenty-year friendship pact with the Soviet Union. Over the years, Sassou had to rely more on political repression and less on patronage to maintain his dictatorship.[13]
Pascal Lissouba, who became Congo's first elected president (1992–1997) during the period of multi-party democracy, attempted to implement economic reforms with IMF backing to liberalise the economy. In June 1996 the IMF approved a three-year SDR69.5m (US$100m) enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF) and was on the verge of announcing a renewed annual agreement when civil war broke out in Congo in mid-1997.[14]
Congo's democratic progress was derailed in 1997 when Lissouba and Sassou started to fight for power in the civil war. As presidential elections scheduled for July 1997 approached, tensions between the Lissouba and Sassou camps mounted. On June 5, President Lissouba's government forces surrounded Sassou's compound in Brazzaville and Sassou ordered members of his private militia (known as "Cobras") to resist. Thus began a four-month conflict that destroyed or damaged much of Brazzaville and caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths. In early October, the Angolan socialist régime began an invasion of Congo to install Sassou in power. In mid-October, the Lissouba government fell. Soon thereafter, Sassou declared himself president.[5]
In the controversial elections in 2002, Sassou won with almost 90% of the vote cast. His two main rivals, Lissouba and Bernard Kolelas, were prevented from competing and the only remaining credible rival, Andre Milongo, advised his supporters to boycott the elections and then withdrew from the race.[15] A new constitution, agreed upon by referendum in January 2002, granted the president new powers, extended his term to seven years, and introduced a new bicameral assembly. International observers took issue with the organization of the presidential election and the constitutional referendum, both of which were reminiscent in their organization of Congo's era of the single-party state.[16] Following the presidential elections, fighting restarted in the Pool region between government forces and rebels led by Pastor Ntumi; a peace treaty to end the conflict was signed in April 2003.[17]
Sassou also won the following presidential election in July 2009.[18] According to the Congolese Observatory of Human Rights, a non-governmental organization, the election was marked by "very low" turnout and "fraud and irregularities".[19]
Government and politics[edit]
Congo-Brazzaville has had a multi-party political system since the early 1990s, although the system is heavily dominated by President Denis Sassou Nguesso; he has lacked serious competition in the presidential elections held under his rule. Sassou Nguesso is backed by his own Congolese Labour Party (French: Parti Congolais du Travail) as well as a range of smaller parties.
Internationally, Sassou's regime has been hit by corruption revelations despite attempts to censor them. One French investigation found over 110 bank accounts and dozens of lavish properties in France; Sassou denounced embezzlement investigations as "racist" and "colonial".[20][21][22]
On 27 March 2015 Sassou Nguesso announced that his government would hold a referendum to change the country's 2002 constitution and allow him to run for a third consecutive term in office.[23]
In 2008, the main media were owned by the government, but many more privately run forms of media were being created. There is one government-owned television station and around 10 small private television channels.
Human rights[edit]
Many Pygmies belong from birth to Bantus in a relationship many refer to as slavery.[24][25] The Congolese Human Rights Observatory claims that the Pygmies are treated as property the same way "pets" are.[24] On December 30, 2010, the Congolese parliament adopted a law for the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. This law is the first of its kind in Africa, and its adoption is a historic development for indigenous peoples on the continent.[26]
Administrative divisions[edit]
The Republic of the Congo is divided into 12 départements (departments). Departments are divided into communes and districts.[27] These are:
Geography and climate[edit]
Congo is located in the central-western part of sub-Saharan Africa, along the Equator, lying between latitudes 4°N and 5°S, and longitudes 11° and 19°E. To the south and east of it is the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is also bounded by Gabon to the west, Cameroon and the Central African Republic to the north, and Cabinda (Angola) to the southwest. It has a short coast on the Atlantic Ocean.
The capital, Brazzaville, is located on the Congo River, in the south of the country, immediately across from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The southwest of the country is a coastal plain for which the primary drainage is the Kouilou-Niari River; the interior of the country consists of a central plateau between two basins to the south and north. Forests are under increasing exploitation pressure.[28]
Since the country is located on the Equator, the climate is consistent year-round, with the average day temperature being a humid 24 °C (75 °F) and nights generally between 16 °C (61 °F) and 21 °C (70 °F). The average yearly rainfall ranges from 1,100 millimetres (43 in) in south in the Niari Valley to over 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in central parts of the country. The dry season is from June to August while in the majority of the country the wet season has two rainfall maxima: one in March–May and another in September–November.[29]
In 2006–07, researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society studied gorillas in heavily forested regions centered on the Ouesso district of the Sangha Region. They suggest a population on the order of 125,000 Western Lowland Gorillas, whose isolation from humans has been largely preserved by inhospitable swamps.[30]
The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on petroleum,[31] support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Petroleum extraction has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy. In 2008, oil sector accounted for 65% of the GDP, 85% of government revenue, and 92% of exports.[32] The country also has large untapped mineral wealth.
In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its petroleum earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The January 12, 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 46% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since.[33]
Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. When Sassou Nguesso returned to power at the end of the war in October 1997, he publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit.
The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty, despite record-high oil prices since 2003. Natural gas and diamonds are also recent major Congolese exports, although Congo was excluded from the Kimberley Process in 2004 amid allegations that most of its diamond exports were in fact being smuggled out of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo; it was re-admitted to the group in 2007.[34][35]
The Republic of the Congo also has large untapped base metal, gold, iron and phosphate deposits.[36] The country is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).[37] The Congolese government signed an agreement in 2009 to lease 200,000 hectares of land to South African farmers to reduce its dependence on imports.[38][39]
Transport in the Republic of the Congo includes land, air and water transportation. The country's rail system was built by forced laborers during the 1930s and largely remains in operation. There are also over 1000 km of paved roads and two major international airports (Maya-Maya Airport and Pointe Noire Airport) which have flights to Paris and many African cities. The country also has a large port on the Atlantic Ocean at Pointe-Noire and others along the Congo River at Brazzaville and Impfondo.
The Republic of the Congo's sparse population is concentrated in the southwestern portion of the country, leaving the vast areas of tropical jungle in the north virtually uninhabited. Thus, Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with 70% of its total population living in a few urban areas, namely in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire or one of the small cities or villages lining the 534-kilometre (332 mi) railway which connects the two cities. In rural areas, industrial and commercial activity has declined rapidly in recent years, leaving rural economies dependent on the government for support and subsistence.[41]
Ethnically and linguistically the population of the Republic of the Congo is diverse—Ethnologue recognises 62 spoken languages in the country[42]—but can be grouped into three categories. The Kongo are the largest ethnic group and form roughly half of the population. The most significant subgroups of the Kongo are Laari in Brazzaville and Pool regions and Vili around Pointe-Noire and along the Atlantic coast. The second largest group are the Teke who live to the north of Brazzaville with 17% of the population. Boulangui (M'Boshi) live in northwest and in Brazzaville and form 12% of the population.[43][44] Pygmies make up 2% of Congo's population.[45]
Before the 1997 war, about 9,000 Europeans and other non-Africans lived in Congo, most of whom were French; only a fraction of this number remains.[41] Around 300 American expatriates reside in the Congo.[41]
The people of Republic of the Congo are largely a mix of Catholics and Protestants, who collectively account for 50.0%. The majority of Christians in the country are Catholic, while the remaining comprises various other Christian denominations. Followers of Islam make up less than 2% of the population, and this is primarily due to an influx of foreign workers into the urban centers.[46]
According to a 2011–12 survey, total fertility rate was 5.1 children born per woman, with 4.5 in urban areas and 6.5 in rural areas.[47]
Public expenditure health was at 8.9% of the GDP in 2004, whereas private expenditure was at 1.3%.[48] As of 2012, the HIV/AIDS prevalence was at 2.8% among 15- to 49-year-olds.[49] Health expenditure was at US$30 per capita in 2004.[48] A large proportion of the population is undernourished,[48] with malnutrition being a problem in Congo-Brazzaville.[50] There were 20 physicians per 100,000 persons in the early 2000s (decade).[48]
As of 2010, the maternal mortality rate was 560 deaths/100,000 live births, and the infant mortality rate was 59.34 deaths/1,000 live births.[49] Female genital mutilation (FGM) is rare in the country, being confined to limited geographic areas of the country.[51]
Public expenditure of the GDP was less in 2002–05 than in 1991.[48] Public education is theoretically free and mandatory for under-16-year-olds,[52] but in practice, expenses exist.[52] Net primary enrollment rate was 44% in 2005, much less than the 79% in 1991.[48] The country has universities. Education between ages six and sixteen is compulsory. Pupils who complete six years of primary school and seven years of secondary school obtain a baccalaureate. At the university, students can obtain a bachelor's degree in three years and a master's after four. Marien Ngouabi University—which offers courses in medicine, law and several other fields—is the country's only public university. Instruction at all levels is in French, and the educational system as a whole models the French system. The educational infrastructure has been seriously degraded as a result of political and economic crises. There are no seats in most classrooms, forcing children to sit on the floor. Enterprising individuals have set up private schools, but they often lack the technical knowledge and familiarity with the national curriculum to teach effectively. Families frequently enroll their children in private schools only to find they cannot make the payments.
See also[edit]
- Outline of the Republic of the Congo
- Index of Republic of the Congo-related articles
- French Congo
- French Equatorial Africa
- List of Congolese
- List of writers from the Republic of the Congo
- Music of the Republic of the Congo
- Public holidays in the Republic of the Congo
- Petroleum industry of the Republic of Congo
- ^ a b "CIA – The World Factbook – Congo, Republic of the". Cia.gov.
- ^ a b c d "Republic of the Congo". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
- ^ "2014 Human Development Report Summary" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 2014. pp. 21–25. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/congo/ New York Times
- ^ a b c d e "Background Note: Republic of the Congo". Department of State. March 2009.
- ^ a b c Olson, James S. & Shadle, Robert. Historical Dictionary of European Imperialism, p. 225. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1991. ISBN 0-313-26257-8. Accessed October 9, 2011.
- ^ Boxer, C. R. The Portuguese Seaborne Empire, 1415–1825, A. A. Knopf, 1969, ISBN 0090979400
- ^ United States State Department. Office of the Historian. A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776. "Republic of the Congo". Accessed October 9, 2010.
- ^ United States State Department. Bureau of African Affairs. Background Notes. "Republic of the Congo". Accessed October 9, 2011.
- ^ Robbers, Gerhard. Encyclopedia of World Constitutions. Infobase Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0-8160-6078-9. Accessed October 9, 2011.
- ^ CONGO REPUBLIC: BRAZZAVILLE RIOTS AFTERMATH.,27 February 1959, Reuters,http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//RTV/1959/02/27/BGY503110492/?s=evacuations
- ^ a b c Shillington, Kevin (2005). Encyclopedia of African history. CRC Press. p. 301. ISBN 1579582451.
- ^ Shillington, Kevin (2005). Encyclopedia of African history. CRC Press. p. 302. ISBN 1579582451.
- ^ Country Report Congo-Brazzaville. The Economist Intelligence Unit. 2003. p. 24.
- ^ "Congo, Republic of (Brazzaville)". Freedom House. 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
- ^ "Congo approves new constitution". BBC. January 24, 2002. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
- ^ "Congo peace deal signed". BBC. March 18, 2003. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ "17 candidates in Congo presidential race: commission". AFP. June 13, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ Vote results expected as opposition alleges fraud. France24 (July 16, 2009).
- ^ "Congo leader son fails in gag bid". BBC. August 15, 2007.
- ^ "Propping Up Africa's Dictators". Foreign Policy In Focus. June 22, 2009.
- ^ "FACTBOX-African leaders' French assets under scrutiny". Reuters. April 29, 2009.
- ^ Reuters, Congo Republic president says expects referendum over third term, BRAZZAVILLE | By Aaron Ross , Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:06pm EDT, http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/27/us-congo-president-idUSKBN0MN25N20150327
- ^ a b "Pygmies in the Congo treated like "pets": report". globalpost.com. July 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ Thomas, Katie (March 4, 2007). "Slaves of the Congo". International Reporting Project. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
- ^ UN expert praises Congo's draft law on indigenous rights at the Wayback Machine (archived November 24, 2010). iwgia.org, November 15, 2010
- ^ With inconsistent figures:
- The site of the Presidency of the Republic of Congo lists 11 departments, 7 communes, and 76 districts.
- The 2004 Statistical directory of Congo lists 12 departments, 6 communes, and 85 districts
- A list of subprefects (higher representatives of State in a district) nominated in December 2008 lists 86 districts. Search [1]
- Finally, the good figures seem to come from this site: 12 departments, 7 communes, and 86 districts
- ^ Map: Situation de l'exploitation forestière en République du Congo. (PDF) . Retrieved on February 25, 2013.
- ^ Samba G., Nganga D., Mpounza M. (2008). "Rainfall and temperature variations over Congo-Brazzaville between 1950 and 1998". Theoretical and Applied Climatology 91 (1–4): 85–97. doi:10.1007/s00704-007-0298-0. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
- ^ "'Mother Lode' Of Gorillas Found In Congo Forests : NPR". Retrieved August 15, 2008.
- ^ "Congo-Brazzaville". Energy Information Administration, U.S. Government. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
- ^ Republic of Congo World Bank
- ^ "Congo, Republic of". EconStats. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
- ^ "Kimberley Process Removes the Republic of Congo from the List of Participants". Kimberley Process. July 9, 2004. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
- ^ "2007 Kimberley Process Communiqué". Kimberley Process. November 8, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
- ^ "Mining in Congo". MBendi. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
- ^ "OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa". Retrieved March 22, 2009.
- ^ Goodspeed, Peter (October 21, 2009) South Africa's white farmers prepare to trek to the Congo at the Wayback Machine (archived February 18, 2011). National Post.
- ^ Congo hands land to South African farmers. Telegraph. October 21, 2009.
- ^ "Religions - Congo, Republic of the (ROC)". Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ a b c Background Note: Republic of the Congo United States Department of State. Accessed on August 21, 2008.
- ^ "Languages of Congo". SIL International. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
- ^ Levinson, David (1998). Ethnic groups worldwide. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 120–121. ISBN 978-1-57356-019-1.
- ^ "Congo Overview". Minority Rights Group International. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
- ^ Les pygmées du Congo en "danger d'extinction. Lemonde.fr (August 5, 2011). Retrieved on February 25, 2013.
- ^ Religiously Remapped – Mapping Religious Trends In Africa – Dataset of Religious Affiliations[dead link]
- ^ http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FR267/FR267.pdf
- ^ a b c d e f Human Development Report 2009 at the Wayback Machine (archived January 17, 2010). undp.org
- ^ a b "The World Factbook". Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ "IRIN Africa - CONGO: Grappling with malnutrition and post-conflict woes - Congo - Food Security - Health & Nutrition". IRINnews. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ "CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): UNFPA Leads Fight Against FGM « UNFPA in the News". Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ a b Refworld | 2008 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor – Congo, Republic of the. UNHCR. Retrieved on February 25, 2013.
Further reading[edit]
- Maria Petringa, Brazza, A Life for Africa (2006) ISBN 978-1-4259-1198-0
External links[edit]
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Republic of the Congo
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- Government
- Congolese Government Portal (French)
- Presidency of the Republic (French)
- Chief of State and Cabinet Members
- General
- Country Profile from BBC News
- Republic of the Congo entry at The World Factbook
- Republic of the Congo from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Republic of the Congo at DMOZ
- Wikimedia Atlas of the Republic of the Congo
- Review of Congo by the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, May 6, 2009.
- Humanitarian news and analysis from IRIN – Congo
- Tourism
- Congo-Brazzaville.com
- Republic of the Congo travel guide from Wikivoyage


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Matching his season-high for corner kicks with eight on Wednesday in Houston, Federico Higuain recorded his 200th corner as a member of the Crew. Currently at 203 in 51 career games played, Higuain became just the third player in Crew history to record 200 or more corner kicks. Robert Warzycha is the club's all-time leader with 503 and Guillermo Barros Schelotto is in second with 423. Both players are finalists for the Crew's 2014 Circle of Honor Induction. Higuain recorded eight corner kicks in a match earlier this season on March 29 at Seattle.
Saturday's match-up is the first meeting for first-year MLS coaches Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter and Vancouver Head Coach Carl Robinson. As players, Berhalter -- who played for LA from 2009-2011 -- was an MLS opponent of Robinson, who spent 2009-2011 between Toronto FC (2009) and New York (2010-11).
The Crew has played Vancouver just four times in the regular-season since Whitecaps FC joined MLS ahead of the 2011 campaign. Now playing just once a year, the Crew gets its only look at Vancouver for the season on Saturday. Hector Jimenez -- who previously played for Western Conference side LA Galaxy -- has plenty of experience against Vancouver. In fact, Jimenez has six appearances against Whitecaps FC, two more matches than the Crew has ever played against the Canadian side.

subset: commoncrawl


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Summer hair: The ultimate frizz-free regimen
Sun kissed skin, barely-there makeup, showing a little leg . . . we love everything about hot summer style. Our hair, on the other hand, not so much. Long, short, straight, even curly, we all wage the battle against summer frizz. Guess what hair: game on. We called on Consulting Hair Stylist for L'Oreal Paris Johnny Lavoy for his expert tips, and some breakthrough hair care technology, to help us all win the war on frizz.
First, know thy enemy! "Frizz can be caused by many factors such as dryness, damage, hair texture, and weather conditions. Summer is when humidity levels are super high, which is why frizz is such a problem this time of year," reveals Lavoy, who himself is blessed with a cool, spiky, man-do. "Frizz fighting doesn't have to be difficult. There are great products and treatments that can help beat frizz." Products and treatments? He had us at hello. Here, we share Johnny's frizz-proof regimen.
Step #1: Start With the Right Shampoo and Conditioner. Choose a system for your specific hair type, like moisturizing for dry hair, restorative for damaged hair, or color safe for colored hair. Weekly deep conditioning treatments are important for all hair types. Look for products with Keratin and/or Oleo for their restorative and smoothing effects.
Step #2: Don't Mess with Your Hair's Cuticle. A rough, damaged hair cuticle will cause frizz. Pat hair dry instead of rubbing, and rinse with cool water to help close the cuticle and give your hair a shinier and smoother appearance.
Step #3: Apply a Frizz-Fighting Serum. Find the serum that's right for your hair type. Thicker, course hair needs something more intense, while thinner to normal hair types can use something that's lighter weight. Serums help block humidity, which is a major frizz factor.
Step #4: Savvy Styling. Styling tools can help combat or cause frizz, so be sure to use the proper tools. Natural bristle brushes or brushes with ionic properties help in the frizz battle. Using an ionic dryer helps along with hot tools; just be sure to use a heat protecting treatment before styling
Step #5:Get Staying Power with Finishing Products. Choose styling products best suited to your hair type. Curl enhancing products will combat frizz for curly hair. Smoothing crèmes for straight hair. Color-protect sprays for colored hair. You can also cocktail your regular styling products with a frizz taming serum for extra frizz fighting benefits.
Happy summer hair!


text: Inspiration / Paper Goods & Calligraphy / Miss Design Berry Posted By Miss Design Berry If you're on the hunt for thank you cards, look no further! These Thank You Cards with Wedding Portrait from Miss Design Berry are the perfect way to thank you guests!! Favors & Details: Miss Design Berry Shop Now This action shot from photographer @kristina.lorraine of a custom guestbook being signed is so perfect! (We especially love the sparkly table cloth where it was displayed. ✨) Got some great photos of your MDB design at your big day? Send them to us so we can share them! 💕⠀See more hereSince it's Saturday, we definitely think it's time to bring out the drinks and party! 🥂 Personally, we can't choose between these two pups and their respective drinks. Would you choose the Allie or the Bailey? Tell us in the comments! 🐾⠀See more hereIs it just us, or does the groom's suit perfectly match the suitcase? Talk about serious attention to detail! And these two jet-setting newlyweds love each other as much as they love to travel! 🗺 It's no wonder they HAD to include it into their custom design. Congratulations and bon voyage to Camron and Savitri! ❤⠀See more hereSometimes the perfect wedding favor is digital, like this custom Snapchat filter! Give your guests a good time at the reception as they snap photos with the digital versions of you and your pet, even if the real you is off somewhere in the photo booth or drinking some bubbly! 😉 ⠀See more hereThis dog takes the "Dog of Honor" duties very seriously, as it should! Your special day should include your very special pup, and showcasing them on your custom cocktail napkins will be a paw-fect way to do it! 🐾 Because sometimes, you pick a venue and realize your fur baby can't come, but that doesn't mean their presence shouldn't be felt! 💙⠀See more hereDon't mind us, we're just GREEN with envy over this guestbook! 💚 We are loving how the groom and the oh-so-adorable kitty are matching green with the watercolor background. Happy wedding day to the lovely couple, Sara and Brendan! We bet your day is gonna be the cat's meow 😻⠀See more hereAdorable pups deserve a spotlight on your big day, so a custom cocktail sign will surely be a hit! (And honestly, who wouldn't want to try this scrumptious drink??) 🥃 Thanks to the bride, @elle_s_s_ for coming across MDB on Pinterest and including Winston on her wedding day! We're sure the sweet pup loved all the extra attention 🐾⠀See more hereWe are loving the all-white tux on the groom and the lace bridal gown! No wonder these two are poppin' champagne, they look AMAZING! Congrats to these newlyweds, we hope your honeymoon is as lovely as you two 🍾❤⠀See more herePlease excuse us. We dropped something... our JAWS! Have you seen this dress?? 😱😍 Such a lovely and fashionable couple. No wonder they wanted to showcase their style on their guestbook!See more hereIf this isn't just the most beautiful home decor! (And no, we're totally not biased!) We can't pick our favorite part of this guestbook. Is it the venue? The adorable fur babies? The lovely couple? The flowers? 🤔 All of it is such a dream! 💕⠀See more hereYesterday was the big day for Taylor and Matthew! If these two looked anything like their guestbook, they surely were stunning all of their guests 😍 Congratulations to the newlyweds, and we hope your wedding was absolutely beautiful! ✨⠀See more hereWhen you send your guests a custom Save the Date, they will DEFINITELY wanna stick it on their fridge to look at it every day! We know this stylish pair and their adorable pup deserves a spotlight in their guests' homes 😉 (And a little advice for the engaged couples out there, frame a copy of the Save the Date to take to your desk at work to spruce things up!) ❤⠀See more hereWe want to help make your big day as special as can be, so honoring your loved ones is something we want to help with. This sweet portrait of the mother of the bride warmed our hearts, and we wish this lovely bride all the happiness ❤⠀See more hereExtreme cuteness alert! 😍 Is your sweet pup the Dog of Honor at your upcoming wedding? (If not, they should be... Just sayin'!) Make sure they get to feel as important as they truly are with this paw-fect bandana! We wouldn't want them walking down the aisle without a little pizzazz now, would we?? 🐾⠀See more hereIf a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine what all of your guests will be saying with your own custom Snapchat filter at your wedding! 📸 Plus, how amazing would it be to look back on your big day and see some of the moments you may have missed? ❤⠀See more hereTime to pop the champagne, the week is halfway over! 🍾 This stylish couple is getting us through this Wednesday with their infectious smiles and GORGEOUS wedding attire. Congratulations to these beautiful newlyweds! We hope you're honeymoonin' somewhere fantastic 🥂⠀See more hereWhen you've got 4 adorable fur-babies and a love of cocktails, this is the PERFECT way to combine them! And for any summer wedding, mouth-watering drinks are a must! Which one would you choose? 🥂⠀See more hereWhat a great shot of @hannahgracesmith68's guestbook at her wedding! We love seeing your photos, and we especially love seeing all the sweet notes your guests leave for you to read after the hustle and bustle of your big day ❤ Congratulations, you two!⠀See more hereWho else is totally picturing a 101 Dalmatians meet-cute when you see this banner? Just us? 😍 When your dog is family, you just HAVE to include them in your big day! (And who are we kidding, what wedding isn't made better by your fur-baby??) 🐾 ⠀See more hereCalling all Whovians! How adorable is this anniversary portrait with @leahchessher as River Song and her groom as the Doctor himself?? We bet if these two could hop in the TARDIS, they'd relive their wedding day all over again! (Spoilers, these two are couple goals) 😉💙⠀See more here"A wedding, but make it fashion." 😍⠀ Honestly living for this couple's whole aesthetic! We can't decide what we love most! Is it the dress? The veil and headpiece combo? The groom's tux? Their names in pink? (How about ALL of the above!) 💕⠀See more hereThe Force is strong with this couple! We've got a Jedi groom, a Disney-loving bride, and an absolutely adorable pup! How fun is this little family? (And when can we go to Disney World with them??) 🏰⠀See more here🎵 "Oh my, starry-eyed surprise."🎵 How handsome are these two grooms? The starry-night guestbook is perfect whether you're an astronomy lover, or just someone thanking their lucky stars for finding the love of their life! 🌟⠀See more hereThis couple is a slam dunk! 🏀 That navy tux, the ruffled dress, and those beautiful flowers with that pink watercolor make for a perfect score across the board! 💯 Congratulations, Anne and Shane, on your wedding!⠀See more hereDid you know you could also order easels and frames on our site, to better display your custom design at your wedding? Not to mention the amazing, top-notch pens we also sell! We're kind of a one-stop-shop for you, NBD 💁⠀See more hereNot only does an apple martini sound AMAZING right now 🍏 (Hey, it's happy hour somewhere, right?) But how adorable is this cat? All I have to say is, you can catch meow-t the bar! 😹⠀See more hereThese two grooms and their adorable cat make such a cute family! The fact that they matched the blue of their ties with their cat's bowtie is giving us serious heart eyes! 😻 We also really love how they incorporated their design on cocktail napkins. Such a sweet touch to their big day! 💙⠀See more hereWant a selfie with the couple on their big day, but they're already busy with the wedding photographer? Use their custom Snapchat filter! Easy peasy! Plus, this couple included their adorable pup, so even if their furry friend couldn't make it to the event, now you can say you still got a picture with the whole crew 😉⠀See more hereWhen your wedding venue is a swanky restaurant, you'll definitely want to show it off in your guestbook design! (We are THIS close to booking a reservation here, because yes we totally looked up the menu and wow are we jealous of all the guests who enjoyed their delicious food!) 😋⠀See more hereA stunning backdrop for a stunning couple! Amrita and Ashish wanted a custom design to label their drinks, and what a festive event it was! 🍾 We seriously can't get enough of this view, the henna, and even their little dog featured on their design 😍 Thank you @amrita_ghai for the amazing photo, and congratulations on your wedding!⠀See more hereBecause your wedding should be a party, and parties should have games right?? This is perfect for any outdoor wedding, especially when your guests are enjoying cocktail hour while you're off taking your glamour shots 😉 ⠀See more hereOf all the fish in the sea, this one's got you hook, line, and sinker! 🎣 To thank all of your guests for coming to your big day, send them this fun card to show off what a catch you've got 😉 (Okay okay, we're done with the fish puns!)⠀See more hereWe are absolutely SWOONING over this couple, the lantern lights, and their gorgeous venue! This looks like it came straight from a fairytale, and honestly, we would read this love story 😍 Have your own fairytale romance? Tell us all about it in the comments! ✨⠀See more hereHappy Saturday, everyone! (Or should we say Cat-urday??) 😻 This cocktail sign is perfect for any outdoor wedding, but especially a nice summer wedding when you need to cool down with a refreshing cocktail or mocktail! 🍹⠀See more hereBeautiful dress, beautiful couple, beautiful pups? These two had it ALL on their wedding day! We can't get over these two dapper doggos in their bow ties (matching the groom, no less)! Congrats to these lovely newlyweds, and thank you for letting us design this special guestbook for you 💕🐾⠀See more hereThese three darling pups were the hit of the cocktail bar at @thepfeiffy's wedding, and if their sweet faces weren't enough to lure you in, those yummy drinks would seal the deal! Which drink would you be sipping on all night: the Goose, the Trooper, or the Cowboy shooter? Tell us in the comments! 🥃⠀See more hereHubba hubba, future hubby! 😍 Show off the man in your life at your bachelorette party with ALL the decor and favors! Besides, what's better than drinking rosé from a wine glass that features your fiancé?🥂⠀See more hereWe love venues of all shapes and sizes, so getting to design this beautiful mountain venue was such a treat! Seriously, after looking at this guestbook design long enough, it has us itching to book a getaway at this resort. Congrats to Parker and Annie on their wedding, and letting us be even a small part of their special day!❤⠀See more hereThese beautiful flowers showcase @thepfeiffy's guestbook alternative SO well! (Isn't this fur-baby family so adorable??) We love seeing photos from your big day, so be sure to tag us so we can share the excitement! 💕⠀See more hereWho doesn't love a good Snapchat filter? Just think, your wedding day could include your own custom filter for your guests to have fun with ALL night! So they're basically taking pictures with you, even when you're busy enjoying all the delicious foods (and you're so NOT picture ready)! 😂⠀See more hereThis resort is serving us some old-school elegance vibes, and we are HERE for it! It's a gorgeous southern venue, and it's no wonder Melissa and Brent wanted to showcase it as their guestbook for their sweet summer wedding! ❤⠀See more hereWhen your fur babies take center stage at your wedding, you give them a special title like "Dog of Honor"...and maybe you get their sweet faces on your cocktail napkins, too! No one's gonna complain about all the puppy love (and if they do, then you don't need that kind of negativity in your life)! 😍🐾⠀See more hereTwo Frenchies wearing bow ties walk into a wedding... That's it. There's no punchline. 😂 It's just dog-gone adorable! If you've got pups (or even kitties!) as cute as these two, wouldn't you want to show them off to all of your guests?? (The answer should always be YES!)⠀See more hereWho else is daydreaming about laying on the beach right about now? These two have the right idea. Not only did they bring their dog, but they're sipping on coconuts too! 🏝 (We are positively seafoam green with envy!)⠀See more hereWe LOVE when you send in pictures of your custom designs, but when your dog poses with their cocktail sign, it really doesn't get much cuter than that! All we know is, we would like a round of the Kaias (and maybe to give the real pup some much-deserved belly rubs)! ❤🐾 @kaia.cutie.doxie⠀See more hereIf you are looking for more ways to include your pet in your wedding, nothing is cuter than napkins featuring your fur babies! Our brand new pet portrait cocktail napkins are sure to be a huge hit at your wedding cocktail hour, rehearsal dinner, or even bridal shower!See more hereThese custom wedding crest cards save the date with serious style. Featuring a custom watercolor crest created just for you, the art includes any unique elements you want to include like florals, objects, pets, and more.See more hereThis signature cocktail sign features your signature cocktail with three illustrated portraits. Not only does this bar sign make the perfect decor at your wedding reception, it also becomes a beautiful wedding keepsake that you can hang in your home after your wedding.See more hereOur brand new couple portrait cocktail napkins are sure to be a huge hit at your wedding cocktail hour, rehearsal dinner, or even bridal shower!See more here


text:
Who do you focus on in your HIV/AIDS advocacy work?
African-American youth, with a particular focus on at-risk youth. The C/D students who are below the level in every area.
What are the biggest obstacles you encounter and where do you find the most support?
The biggest obstacle is that people do not want to fund programs for youth right now. Unless they're gay youth. Urban African-American youth are particularly underfunded. The economy is bad across the board, so when you start talking about youth, it's like, "Well, they've just gotta do like everybody else."
The greatest support we get is from schools, parents and community groups, and the young people themselves. But not the powers-that-be. But this is not an indictment against all funders or government agencies -- the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has been very proactive in addressing these programs at various times.
What is the most critical AIDS issue facing the African-American community?
Right now, particularly with adolescents and young women, there's still a sense of denial. Young people have a sense of invincibility, and with African-American women, we're still not taking a responsibility for self. We're still caretakers, still the last one on the list to be cared for. So we're passing that philosophy down to our young women, who are making some of the same decisions about their sexual health that we have made, which is, "It'll go away," or "I'll take care of this one day, everybody else comes ahead."
Where do you think the most progress is being made in combating the epidemic in the black community?
In the gay community. The gay community has learned the lesson of HIV/AIDS. They've done a great job advocating for themselves and others, as well as passing on information in different settings that we just haven't done. And I think they're more realistic about sexual-health issues. I think they're more upfront. But I think the gap for the gay community, even still, is with the young people, who are not necessarily getting the information for the same reasons that heterosexual youth are not getting it.
Where is the least progress being made?
Heterosexual men of all ages, beyond a shadow of a doubt. When AIDS came out, it was labeled as a "gay" disease, and we still have the stigma. The AIDS community is very much geared toward the hot topic, because that's what gets funded. Women get funded, children get funded, gay men get funded, but heterosexual males, that's just a group that people go, "Oh well, they'll just fall in the cracks somewhere." Even if we have to put them under the gay group, just to get them services.
Isn't the down low a hot topic now?
See, now that hurt us. Every African American man is not on the down low or gay, and that is the impression, in the last few years anyway. That has been the perception, so a straight man is just not going to come get services from them. He's not even going to identify with HIV because of what we've said about his activities, because there are straight men who are afraid of getting labeled as gay.
So you think too much has been made of the down low?
Oh, my God, yes. I'm not saying it shouldn't have been exposed, but let's not lump everyone together, because when I go into the community, the young men -- particularly under 35 -- just shut down when you say down low.
What should be done to reach these heterosexual men?
Prevention and education designed by heterosexual men, with their input, that uses their language and people that look like them, and programs that say it's OK to be straight. We're in a climate where to be perceived as straight and HIV positive is not too cool.
What are the top myths about HIV that you encounter?
Myths are not so much the problem anymore. I personally believe that everybody's educated about HIV. They know how to get it and how not to get it.
Denial is a problem. Folks honestly still are in that place that "It just won't happen to me." Or "my husband is not going to sleep with a woman other than me." Or "There's no such thing as a crack whore as it relates to my life, because a person in my life would not do something like that." Or "the down-low male is real, and that wouldn't happen to me because I'm smarter, and he looks clean."
And then there's the issue that people with HIV are living longer, so there's not any immediate threat -- it's kind of become "an HIV that you can live with." That's a great advantage, but in terms of prevention, in 1989 we could bring some people with HIV out and they looked sick and "Oh, my God! I don't want that to happen to me." Now people with HIV look healthier, they're having long-term problems, like disability, mortgages, bad kids -- the same problems people who are not infected with HIV have. The danger is that people aren't really talking about the side effects of the medication, the fact that they can suddenly stop working, that people are still dying, that this is still something that you don't want to have.
What strategies have you found to address the denial and the complacency?
Well, what we do is bring in the medicine, because we're dealing with young people and women. First we show them how many pills a person with HIV in various stages, maybe, and with different types of diseases would be taking; what "a day in the life" looks like. Because with young people, the information has to be something you can see, feel, taste and touch. Then they can relate to it -- when they're actually holding 60 pills -- and I'm exaggerating -- and looking at a medical chart with cancer, emphysema, genital herpes, whatever a case might be.
We use a lot of case studies of real people in our support groups. The women's support group has been very helpful, anonymously, by giving us their personal stories that we're able to turn into a presentation: "Winona -- this is her life. She was infected in this particular situation, and this is where she is now, and these are the prospects for her life and her health, good and bad." You put the young people beside that model and show how making different decisions can have very serious, long-term consequences. We even have them act out the decision to have sex with the person who was infected, and we talk about the fact that this person didn't use protection or didn't disclose their HIV status or maybe didn't even know their status. What it's like from infection to HIV diagnosis. We ask them to get inside that head.
How is the HIV epidemic different in the black community than other communities?
The main differences from the white community are resources and political power. Again, the white gay community started the movement, and they did a fantastic job of bringing the public's attention to the disease. But there's just more resources, better health care, earlier testing and treatment. They have the mechanisms in place to be able to survive longer, and with a better quality of life than the average African American with HIV.
There are a lot of similarities between the black and Latino communities -- the culture, the family. We both face a lot of the same problems, and our statistics are about the same. But I also think, too, because Latinos are the "emerging" minority affected by AIDS, a lot of attention is being paid and a lot of money is being given to them. That's not an indictment, but I think that the resources for those communities are much more available than for the African- American community.
Do you think activism is an effective way to fight the epidemic?
Yes, activism and advocacy work, but there is not an immediate response sometimes, and it is a way of life. You're always advocating -- it becomes a thing that you, say, breathe and eat.
But there are so many other issues now. We are fighting the economy here in Philadelphia, we're talking about gas prices, homicide rates -- our schools are in trouble. It's very difficult to go into a school that's just had a homicide and say, "Look, I want to come in and talk about HIV."
The HIV community is very fragmented. I'm fighting for adolescent African-American dollars. The white gay community is fighting for white gay dollars. The black gay community is fighting for black gay dollars. The women ... and you know, the deals get cut. Let's get real. This is the real world. But if we could ever come together, which we did in the early days, and cut the deals ourselves so that everybody is able to supply the needs of their community, I think that would be it.
What are your fears and hopes for the next generation of African Americans as they face the risks of HIV?
That we won't learn from our past. That we won't start to take responsibility for ourselves. Because, despite all the medical advances, HIV is not tuberculosis yet, and we think it is. And if we continue at this rate, and HIV keeps adapting itself to everything that we try to throw at it, we're going to get a generation of young people who will affect our ability to produce healthy children, and to just survive.
Can you recommend one action that we all should take to end the epidemic?
Personal responsibility. That means taking care of Linda, myself. Taking this message to my mother, who is a senior and is also affected by HIV, as well as to my son and to my granddaughter. If everybody would touch the people closest to them with that message, and make it real and a part of daily living -- like you don't eat pork. There are people who don't eat pork -- I'm not one of them -- but their children don't eat pork, do you get what I mean? There are people who go to church. The whole family goes to church and is exposed to the message, "This is what we should do." There are people who, if you don't go to Princeton, you don't go to school. But it's instilled in that family. If we could take HIV and make it part of that type of message within our own inner circles, each person would educate another, and that would be a generation of families and people who would not be infected.
About Linda Burnette
Burnette has been the executive director of the Philadelphia-based YO ACAP (Youth Outreach Adolescent Community Awareness Program) since it was established in 1989. From its four locations in Philly's hardest-hit neighborhoods, YO ACAP provides young people at risk with a wide range of services, including free condoms and safer-sex information, gender-specific support groups, HIV testing and counseling, street outreach, and even identifying potential candidates for vaccine trials


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The Knicks sit just a half game up on the 9th place Milwaukee Bucks. A loss tomorrow would place them in a tie for 8th with just 10 games remaining in this lockout shortened season. Including tomorrow's game, 6 of the Knicks last 11 opponents currently boast a record of .500 or better. In their last 11 games, New York will play Miami, Boston, Milwaukee, the Clippers and Chicago twice. It is now an 11 game season and every game is huge for the Knicks.
The 43-13 Chicago Bulls boast the best record in basketball. They have played their last 12 games without the reigning MVP, point guard Derrick Rose. In those games, the Bulls are 8-4. Tomorrow, Rose will make his return from injury which doesn't bode well for the Jeremy Lin-less Knicks. New York has been playing well themselves, 7-3 record over their past 10, but Rose could cause huge problems for the 'Bockers tomorrow. The Knicks must find a way to overcome Rose's return, as tomorrow is a huge game for the men from New York.
Here's what to watch for:
- How do the Knicks defend Rose? I'd have to think Woodson would be insane to experiment with Baron Davis checking Rose, which is why I expect to see a lot of Iman Shumpert tomorrow. While Shumpert isn't great guarding point guards, he's the best option the Knicks have and I think they've got to go with him. Toney Douglas should also get a few minutes guarding the reigning MVP. Douglas played well against Rose last season and while Rose has progressed and Douglas has regressed since then, I think Douglas is a more attractive option on defense than Davis or Bibby. If at any point Bibby is guarding Rose, I'll probably gauge out both of my eyeballs so I don't have to watch. I think Shumpert is the guy that has to step up defensively tomorrow.
- Jeffriesanity? As of right now, it is a maybe as to whether or not Jeffries will play tomorrow. If he doesn't, the Knicks are in big trouble. While Carmelo Anthony has the advantage offensively playing power forward, he gives the Knicks a disadvantage on the boards. In their last meeting, the Bulls pulled down 22 offensive rebounds. If that happens tomorrow, the Knicks are going to lose by 40. They have to find a way to keep Taj Gibson and the Bulls off the offensive glass. Jared Jeffries will give the Knicks a chance to do that. If he doesn't play, then the Knicks have a chance to get destroyed on the boards.
- Tyson Chandler versus Joakim Noah. One of the bigger match ups in the game tomorrow will be the battle of centers down in the paint. Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah are two of the better centers in the game today and their impacts will greatly determine the outcome of the game. For the Knicks, Chandler will have to control the glass. His goal should be to grab about 10-15 rebounds and score about 10 points. More importantly, he has to make sure that Noah doesn't wreak havoc on the glass. I sound like a broken record, but the Knicks must control the boards tomorrow. Without Lin and Stoudemire, the Knicks are already at a huge disadvantage. They cannot allow Chicago to get second chance points. Tyson Chandler will be a huge part of the Knicks success/failure tomorrow. If he dominates Noah and controls the glass, the Knicks will have a good shot to win. If Chandler disappears and is dominated, the Knicks will be dominated.
- The Knicks bench must step up offensively. Points will be at a premium tomorrow against the vaunted Bulls defense. New York's starters do not have the ability to carry all the scoring. JR Smith, Iman Shumpert and Josh Harrellson have to be key contributors in tomorrow's game. I don't have to talk about Smith, you know the story on him. Either he's on fire or he's Dr. Freeze. Shumpert is an extremely streaky shooter. We've seen recent 25 point games from him, as well as recent 3/12 shooting games. Shumpert will have his hands full defensively guarding Derrick Rose, but he has to find a way to mix some offensive efficiency into his game tomorrow. Josh Harrellson should play a large role in tomorrow's matchup. Even if Jeffries is able to play, I don't imagine he'll play more than 12 minutes. Harrellson has to be scrappy tomorrow. He doesn't necessarily have to score, but he needs to wreck some havoc on the offensive glass. If Harrellson can get 2-3 put-backs in the game, that would be huge for the Knicks. The Knicks bench has to score points tomorrow. If they don't, I don't see how the Knicks can win the game. Chicago is too good, both offensively and defensively, for the Knicks to win without Melo scoring. They need the bench to chip in with efficient offense or else they will lose.
- Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Melo has to dominate. Do I need to say it more? In order for the Knicks to win, Carmelo Anthony will have to efficiently score the basketball tomorrow. Luol Deng is a great defender, but the Knicks traded for Anthony for a reason. Games like this are why you trade 4 starters for a Carmelo Anthony. Against great teams, great players play great and that is what Melo must do tomorrow. The Knicks are in dire straits without Lin and Stoudemire. Tomorrow is a huge game. If Anthony can score 35-40 points efficiently and dominate in the 4th quarter, the Knicks will have a good shot to win. Chicago is ranked 3rd in the NBA in defensive efficiency and you know they'll have a few wrinkles in the game plan to deal with Anthony. This is a game in which Anthony can really fold. They'll batter him, double team him and contest his shots. Rarely will he get an open look in the game. This is a potential statement game for Anthony. Lets see how he does.


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KDE Commit-Digest for 21st November 2010
In this week's KDE Commit-Digest:
bullet list
I like the bullet list that is used to format the single changes in this abstract. It is much more readable than the sentences combined in one paragraph in the main text of the digest. So I would recommend to use this list at the top of the digest, too.
Thanks for the weekly reports. It is always interesting to see what happens in development.
By Gert Brinkmann at Thu, 2010/12/23 - 5:35pm
Git integration
First of all: Thanks a lot to the whole commit digest team.
Will Enzyme be ready to cover Git commits as well as soon as the digest catches up to the point where KOffice and kdepim moved to Git?
By delta_squared at Thu, 2010/12/23 - 6:35pm


text:
Monday, October 12, 2009
Memory Monday: Sopping the Bowl
But there are distinctions among desserts; some are … better than others. Not sweeter, but more intense. Cakes and cookies are good, but the flavor is more intense when they are in a gooier, more primitive form – cake batter and cookie dough. People have known this for quite a long time. This is why cookie dough is now a staple add-in at ice cream parlors. My college roommate and I kept a roll of cookie dough in our dorm room refrigerator for emergencies. Fluff and the better cake icings also fall into this category (not the super-sweet ones, however!). The nice thing about these "intense" desserts is that you only have to eat a little bit to experience the euphoria.
The moister the cake, the better it tends to taste. Carry this logic to its extreme and you come to cake batter. As a child, I never understood why people bothered to bake the batter. "Sopping the bowl" is one of my fondest childhood memories. Some people call this "licking the bowl."
There are actually three parts to sopping or licking the bowl: sopping the bowl, licking the spoon, and licking the beaters. If you have three children who have to share, it is interesting to see who will choose which item to lick. Most will choose the bowl, thinking that it will have the most batter, and sometimes they are right (though judicious moms will leave a little extra on the spoon). For certain stiffer and stickier batters, however, I have found that the beaters are the best bet. I can roll my tongue, so I have always aced licking the beaters – nothing is left. My daughters have inherited this talent, and they also know the spoon is a good deal, so I usually get left with the bowl.
I have to pity my daughters a little bit, however. When I was a child, all baked desserts were fair game. Whenever I knew that my mother was baking something, I stuck to her like glue, waiting for "the payoff." But as the years passed, some desserts became forbidden in their raw form. The culprit? Eggs. Although the risk of salmonella infection from raw eggs has been considerably reduced over the years, I'm not going to run that risk. The result is that some cake batters and cookie doughs are off limits to my daughters. One of the most pathetic duties I have had as a mother is saying "No" to them when they ask to lick the bowl.
The best solution has been to find desserts we love that are wonderful when cooked and safe to eat in raw form. There is one dessert that stands at the very pinnacle: Ho Ho Cake. It has three components and (for me) takes three days to make. And each component is safe to lick from the bowl. Heaven.
The original recipe was shared with my by a generous lady at our church. Her recipe calls for the cake part to be devil's food cake (a mix will do) and the chocolate fudge icing had raw egg yolks(!). Only the fluffy white "ho ho" part could be sopped safely from the bowl, as it had no eggs. The first change I made to the recipe was to replace the egg yolks with cream. Then, figuring that anything worth doing is overdoing, I replaced the devil's food cake part with a recipe for "Death by Chocolate" cake (a recipe shared by another wonderful cook I know; to make the Death by Chocolate cake, just cover the cake part of the following recipe with German chocolate icing). The whole cake can probably be made in one day, but each layer has to cool and set before the next layer can be applied. I usually make it during the week in the evenings; hence it takes three successive evenings. However, the work has always been worth it, since the cook often gets a good share of "the soppins."
Below is a picture of the cake at a birthday party some years back, followed by the recipe.
Ho Ho Cake
1 box German Chocolate Cake mix (pudding in the mix)
1 bar Baker's German Chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
8 oz. sour cream
1/3 C. oil
1 C. water
6 oz. chocolate chips
Mix cake mix, chocolate, sour cream, oil, and water together. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured pan (I use a 13x8 glass pan). Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. (I leave it in the pan.) Cool completely.
5 Talespoons flour
1 8-oz. stick butter, softened
1/2 C. Crisco shortening
1-1/4 C. milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 C. granulated sugar
Cook flour and milk in pan until thick. Let cool. Place in mixer bowl with softened butter, vanilla, Crisco, and sugar. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Spread evenly over cooled cake to about 1/4 inch from edge of pan. Chill.
4-1/2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 sticks (12 ounces) butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/4 cups powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons light cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
Melt 1-1/2 sticks butter and chocolate. Let cool. Add vanilla and salt to it in mixer bowl. Heat cream slightly, add, and beat. Add powdered sugar gradually. Beat until smooth; don't let it get lumpy. Spread evenly over filling.
Keep cake refrigerated.
8 comments:
Got any carb counts on this bit of heaven?? Oh, MYY !! Excuse me while I go clean the drool off my keyboard!ReplyDelete
That looks just sinfully delicious.....I'll have to make that one!ReplyDelete
That cake is a must make! Chocolate cake is my most favorite thing on the planet. Thank you so much Greta for sharing this recipe with us. I too remember as a child "sopping the bowl" - my mom made a marble pound cake from scratch her german recipe and it is to die for but I always licked the bowl! She still makes it for me to this day!ReplyDelete
I still sop the bowl...never heard that term before....raw eggs....baah...love, love, love the batter. I will have to give your recipe a try...this is my baking season...cool fall days.ReplyDelete
Carol - Yeah, when you pick up the pan with this cake in it, it weighs a ton!ReplyDelete
Tracy - If you have any questions about the recipe, let me know; I changed some of the instructions and they may not all be clear.
Gini - Ummm, pound cake - my favorite thing with juicy fruit of various types - it always soaks up the juice and flavor so perfectly. Gosh, I'm so hungry (trying to be good).
- AnonymousOctober 16, 2009 at 6:13 PM
My mom would never let me lick the bowl because of those darn raw eggs and bugs in the flour. I never knew any other kids whose parents wouldn't let them lick the bowl or beaters.ReplyDelete
What a great story! I am SO all about the licking of the bowl and utensils, and I really don't care about the raw egg "thing"!ReplyDelete
Family Stories
My daughters love to lick the bowl-I do too : ) Your words made me think of one of my girls-she says when she grows up she'll never bake the cake she'll only eat the batter and they'll be no one to stop her : ) Neat post.ReplyDelete


text:
Optimism over U.S. budget deal shores up markets
LONDON Indications that U.S. politicians are inching toward a budget deal that will avoid the imposition of potentially damaging tax increases and spending cuts gave markets a boost Tuesday.
Investors are hopeful that progress is being made between the White House and Congress on a budget deal before a year-end deadline. If a deal is not found, then there will be automatic changes to taxes and spending that could in time push the U.S. economy, the world's largest, back into recession.
Following a weekend retreat by John Boehner, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, over tax increases, President Barack Obama on Monday dropped his long-held insistence that taxes rise on individuals earning more than $200,000 and families making more than $250,000.
- Poll: Half think "cliff" deal possible by year end
- Obama moves on taxes in latest "cliff" counter-proposal
He is now offering a new threshold of $400,000 and lowering his 10-year tax revenue goals from the $1.6 trillion he had argued for a few weeks ago.}
"On the basis that a deal, even partial, can be reached, then risk appetite on the part of investors is likely to continue to improve with equity markets enjoying a rally into the end of the year," said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 0.3 percent at 5,932 while Germany's DAX rose 0.5 percent to 7,640. The CAC-40 in France underperformed, trading steady at 3,639.
Wall Street was poised for a solid opening with both Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures up 0.4 percent.
The euro also gained further ground as investor appetite for risk improved. In the more risk-on environment, the dollar often loses some ground. The euro was up 0.2 percent at $1.3184.
As has seemingly been the case for a good few weeks now, the gaze over the rest of the day will likely remain fixed on the budget discussions given that there is very little time left to agree a deal and then push it through both arms of Congress.
"There is a danger though that both parties will now revert back to their previous tactics of negotiating hard and utilizing the media to gather support," said Craig Erlam, market analyst at Alpari. "This would not benefit either side at this point and would only put the U.S. at risk of another embarrassing downgrade, as we saw last year following debt ceiling negotiations."
Markets have also been supported by hopes of more stimulus measures from China and Japan, the world's second and third largest economies.
In Japan, the focus remains on the weekend landslide election victory of the Liberal Democratic Party, whose leader, Shinzo Abe, in line to become prime minister, wants to shore up growth with higher public works spending.
That was despite concern about the consequences of adding to Japan's towering public debts and doubts about the effectiveness of looser policy.
Chinese stimulus hopes meanwhile were raised by a weekend pledge by new Communist Party leaders to support a recovery with more spending and easy credit if needed. They also promised reforms aimed at expanding private business.
In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 1 percent to 9,923.01, adding to the previous session's 0.9 percent gain. China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.1 percent to 2,162.46 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.1 percent to 22,494.73.
Oil prices tracked equities higher, with the benchmark New York rate up 53 cents at $87.73 a barrel.


text: The continuum luminosities and optical depths are printed in columns to this ascii fits file. For each energy channel we print: channel index, energy (eV), transmitted and reflected luminosity (in units of 10 erg s erg) with lines binned and added to the continuum. New in version 2.2 is the inclusion of a column which is just the flux scattered in resonant lines. The final two columns are optical depth in the forward and backward directions (see Chapter 9 for a more detailed description of the meaning of these quantities).


text:
Beautiful LARGE agate slices, great for display or to use as coasters. (RK2B11-10)
Agate slices have a 24k gold electroplated edge.
Druzy crystals in the open center, great light catcher.
This listing is for a set of 4 agate slices.
Slices measure about 3.5" x 4.5-5"
These agates will vary slightly in size and in characteristics.