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Christ Is Risen!
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Me: I think that a lot of your difficulty may be due to the fact that you lack a clear Church allegiance. You seem to be somewhere in the middle between Evangelicalism and Roman Catholicism. Trying to battle all your sins on your own is damn near impossible. You need guidance. And that is only found in the Church--the Orthodox Church ideally--but even allegiance to a non-Orthodox Church is probably better (at least in most cases) than drifting and sorta doing it all on your own. In fact, if you read the Bible, the epistles talk about suffering together and helping each other as a community and uniting to the Church; not to do it all on our own.
Him: I know you're right. I just can't make a commitment. And sometimes I feel it's just me and God battling this addiction alone. But I know he doesn't judge me for my affiliation because I can feel the strength and love he gives me somehow.
Me: A good question to ask yourself is how do you want to respond to that "strength" and "love"? I highly doubt that God wants you to do this alone and reject His Church--His visible body on Earth. You should make a decision and unite yourself to it--ideally the Orthodox Church--out of respect for that "love" and "strength" you claim you are receiving. Being with God and belonging to the Church are not mutually exclusive but go together. St. Paul orders us to ADHERE to the traditions of the Church in 2 Thessalonians 2:15. It is because through the Church you can receive treatment for your spiritual ailment. It is like a hospital.
Him: Okay I go to Mass most Sundays
Me: That's a good start--as much as I think it would be better for you to attend Orthodox services instead with me--but still, unless you FULLY adhere to and participate in the life of the Church then you are not going to get the full treatment unless you stop drifting. That's kinda like going to the doctor and only doing part of what he says; unless you do it fully, you won't get the full treatment. I'll pray for you that you make the right decision some day and join Orthodoxy
Him: Thanks man. I gotta go now, goodnight
I'll pray for you that you make the right decision some day and join Orthodoxy.
QuoteI'll pray for you that you make the right decision some day and join Orthodoxy.This sort of zeal is alienating. Be more open and casual, give shorter responses and let him set the pace, or I think your intensity will scare him away. From your description of the conversation it sounds to me like his mind was on his sin. I suspect he didn't really want to hear about the Church. You were not wrong to bring it up, but you are pushing too hard. That's how it seems to me, anyway.
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Slick The Disco Mack DJ Edit
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subset: commoncrawl


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Now you don't see it...
"We switched the dental records on the way out of the bunker, prior to the final breakout."
Hugo Blaschke
Hitler's Personal Dentist
...and now you do.
James Brady was NOT shot with a .38 - his whole skull would be in pieces.
Certainly if it was loaded with illegal "devastator" bullets which explode when they hit things
He was shot with a .22 - a pop-gun by comparison.
Here we see James Brady and James Brady's head injury, right next to the gun that didn't cause them, along with the Secret Service agent that just put it there...
The DC policeman with the long coat is the one who picked up the .22 and took it away from Hinkley.


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Mark Hamburg
I've covered much of this in some of George Jardine's Lightroom podcasts, but I decided it was worth writing something down for more general consumption and reference.
The Lightroom (née Shadowland) project had at its core the following goals. Some of them existed from the start. Others evolved as we went along. Interestingly, none of them are about photography. Photography proved, however, a good space in which to explore them.
Personality as a conscious part of software design
All products have a personality of one sort or another. That personality is at the heart of how the product works, what it feels like to use, etc. Sometimes that personality is relatively muted and/or buried behind other conventions. Sometimes it is directly in one's face. Very often it is something that happens more or less by accident, but that accidental nature doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
One of the goals in Lightroom was to consciously think about the product personality we were trying to create with the expectation that a less accidental personality would induce a stronger emotional reaction in users. That stronger reaction can be both positive and negative. We knew that going in. The second part of this goal was to have enough passionate users to outweigh the detractors.
Elegance, Grace, and Style
We wanted Lightroom to seem elegant. To exhibit grace. To show an attention to style beyond the utilitarian aspect that dominated Adobe's products up to that time. We wanted a richer UI experience.
We've been successful in many ways. At the same time, we are painfully aware that there are places where we could be yet more graceful or elegant.
Style is one of the key factors in revealing personality, and as with personality in general, a rich experience will appeal to some and alienate others. Given the number of Lightroom emulations, I see popping up, there's evidently something appealing about the choices we've made.
Maximizing Power v Complexity
While traditional professional applications like Photoshop generally make some effort at coherency in their interfaces, they also tend to be completely ready to add complexity if that will lead to more power. On the other hand, consumer applications frequently throw out power to arrive at simplicity.
On Lightroom, we sought to maximize the power to complexity ratio. If a small bit of additional complexity opened up a lot more power for users, we would go for it. On the other hand, if the complexity was high and the increase in power was low, we would avoid it.
Have we always struck the right balance? No. There are places in the application where the feature set is more complex than the power it delivers merits. Sometimes this happened because we were seeking compatibility with other software. Sometimes this happened because we didn't come up with an appropriately simple idea. As a demonstration, however, that power need not be complex and that relatively simple software need not be weak, I think Lightroom has generally been a success.
These goals will continue to guide us and photography continues to provide a good space in which to explore them.


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CHICAGO (Reuters) - Billy Hunt is a veteran Chicago trader who specializes in the riskiest type of options deals. Yet it's the supposedly safe money in his brokerage account that keeps him up at night.
A year after the collapse of MF Global cost him $1.9 million, Hunt has made a full comeback and today trades on CME Group's open-outcry floor exactly as he has for the last quarter of a century. He still has night-time worries about the $17.5 million in collateral that he keeps at his brokerage, though.
"The risk is still there," said Hunt, 59 and dapper in his bright green trading jacket from his post behind the soybean options pit, where he sells call contracts that expose him to unlimited losses. "Nothing's changed."
It's a common sentiment in the U.S. futures industry, where many say everything is different and yet little has changed since the October 31 failure of the giant brokerage and the $1.6 billion hole it blew in customer accounts.
Trading is down. Market participants worry that hundreds of pages of new and proposed rules do little to safeguard customer money, and will pinch already razor-thin brokerage profits. Some say regulators need to crack down harder on existing rules.
And the stakes are rising. With new regulations pushing over-the-counter swaps onto regulated venues, clearinghouses that already handle contracts valued at more than $2.5 trillion each day are set to take on even more business.
Industry leaders say they've done a lot to exorcise the lingering ghosts of MF Global, including requirements that CEOs sign off on big drawdowns of customer money, and beefed-up auditing.
"Customers are in a better place today," CME Executive Chairman Terrence Duffy told Reuters on Monday. "There are a lot of new processes in place that have really shored up the system."
Or, as Chris Hehmeyer, chairman of the Chicago-based National Futures Association, put it: "It doesn't feel safer. But it is safer."
Futures brokers are required to wall off customer money from their own, and traders have walked away whole from dozens of defaulting futures brokerages in the past, including giants Refco and Lehman.
MF Global and Peregrine shook the industry because their failures made clear that customer money can disappear faster than you can say "Boo".
Trading at CME Group Inc, the biggest operator of U.S. futures exchanges, fell 26 percent last quarter from a year earlier. Duffy told investors last week that macroeconomic factors and the threat of the "fiscal cliff" are keeping investor cash on the sidelines.
But Futures Industry Association President Walter Lukken says the drop also owes something to the impact of MF Global.
"It certainly adds to the uncertainty," Lukken told Reuters. "Trust is lost in a moment; it takes a long time to gain it back."
Scott Gara, who says he lost about $630,000 after MF Global's collapse, is not waiting for trust's return.
He shut down his trading firm, and sold his CME seat and shares this past summer.
"I lost all faith in the CME," said Gara, a soybean meal trader who has bought and sold futures for more than 30 years. The CME was MF Global's front-line regulator.
"It's not worth it to me, the risk," Gara said.
This week, as thousands of futures industry leaders and traders gather in Chicago for an annual conference, the NFA and CME Group plan to announce yet another safeguard: automated checks on brokerage's bank balances.
The checks are a response to the July failure of another futures brokerage, Peregrine Financial Group, whose CEO had used fake bank statements to run a 20-year fraud that cost customers $200 million.
The new system will automatically flag any discrepancies between actual customer account balances and the balances reported by brokerages to regulators, and will be in place by the end of this year, NFA president Dan Roth told Reuters in an interview.
The NFA on Thursday will also start reporting new financial data on brokerages, including how they invest customer money.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission last week published a 413-page proposal for new customer protections, including some rules that have already been put in place by CME and the NFA.
But those plans have a "gaping hole," according to CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton: unlike securities traders, futures traders are not backed by an insurance fund. Chilton has been pushing such a fund, which he says has gotten some traction with lawmakers.
With the Presidential election looming, nothing will happen this year, he said, "But I'm hopeful we get to January, February, and something gets introduced."
To James Koutoulas, who heads the Commodity Customer Coalition and worked closely with the MF Global bankruptcy trustee to get money released to customers faster, new rules are not the answer.
"Enforcement is what makes people safe," Koutoulas said. "You can have all the laws and regs and rules that you want and they don't mean anything if people don't go to jail for theft."
Peregrine CEO Russell Wasendorf confessed to cheating customers and is in jail awaiting sentencing that could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.
MF Global's former chief executive, Jon Corzine, has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Investigators have said that Corzine's firm appears to have dipped into customer funds as it desperately tried to cope with a liquidity crisis brought on by a credit downgrade following revelations of heavy bets on European sovereign debt.
Futures brokers next week face yet another potential squeeze: new federal regulations that will result in more customer money being held at clearinghouses like CME and not at futures brokerages.
Proponents say the new rules will reduce the possibility of customer losses in a brokerage default, if only because the brokerages will have less customer money to begin with.
Critics say that they will mean less flexibility for futures brokerages already hurt by low interest rates and a 13 percent decline in customer funds in the last 12 months
"Maybe that's the trigger that puts them over the edge," Koutoulas said.
As Hunt buys and sells in the arcane and risky world of grain options, he points to a red button glued to his yellow trading badge, printed with the word "panic."
Still glossy, he says. Never used. When the risk in the options trade gets too much, he caps that risk using futures contracts.
But his nest egg, the $17.5 million lodged with his brokerage to back his trades?
"I don't know any way to manage my clearinghouse risk," he says.
Reporting by Ann Saphir; editing by Andrew Hay


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EDIT: We're actually working on recreating this. A new thread will be started once we have finalized a backing track.
We are looking for contributors (doing a pure cover here)...
EDIT: We're actually working on recreating this. A new thread will be started once we have finalized a backing track.
We are looking for contributors (doing a pure cover here)...
Last edited by LLL; 03-01-2019 at 10:01 AM.
Lefty Lounge Lizard's Guitars & Amps Extravaganza
Fastest ears in the West
COVID-19: The Moronavirus.
My Soundcloud
Best collab track ever.. by far! Nicely done, though I'm missing the vocals ...& solo's
"Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen
I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra
Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh yes.
Obviously I'd be along raving about this one!!! LOL!!!
Love that tone.
Great way to start the day for me.
Is that a MIDI backing track by any chance??? Only reason I ask is because I'd be interested in hearing you play over Vinnie Appice's drum kit and Jimmy Bain's bass. Maybe even add some subtle keys. Then shove it through Lurssen or T-RackS 5 One. Maybe even iZotope 8 Advanced. Hell: must be some vocalists around here that would be prepared to lend their voices and collaborate??? You know: maybe do a Metal Allegiance type trip??? "We have the technology..." as Gary Moore would say!!!
You know: we could even take this further and make a video. Everyone does their bit and I'll stitch it all together nice in MAGIX Vegas Pro???
I may not be the greatest guitarist but this sh*t I can do (production). And well too given half the chance.
So c'mon. Whadda ya all say huh??? Any takers??? LLL???
Vocalists don't be afraid of the challenge (if LLL is game) i.e. Dio's voice isn't that prominent in this thing so nothing to worry about!!! LOL!!!
Must be a sign. This post pushed me to "Toneologist"!!! LOL!!!
C'mon. Let's start "Bringing Back The Balls To Rock" (Lordi).
See what this sh*t does to me first thing in the morning??? LOL!!!
This not a widely covered song either just by the way. Could end up with a sh*tpile of hits on YouTube if done proper???
Also not a Dio song per se so appeals to a much wider audience (sad but true!!! LOL!!!).
Would be a collaboration of a collaboration. Has that been done before??? LOL!!!
Have I made my case yet??? LOL???
Last edited by dpaterson; 02-17-2019 at 10:14 PM.
The backing (the drums at the very least) I recognize as being from Guitar Pro 6 software. I can sing Dio style pretty well.
The opinions expressed above do not necessarily represent those of the poster and are to be considered suspect at best.
Lead guitarist and vocalist of...
Keep up to date on our Facebook
Right. There we go. Our first vocalist.
LLL??? Given that it's your thread and tone you gotta sanction this...
With regard to drums and bass:
I got BFD3 with Vinnie's kit and the realism is really and truly out of this world. For bass I have IKM's MODO Bass. But wait. There's bass players around these parts???
Lefty Lounge Lizard's Guitars & Amps Extravaganza
Fastest ears in the West
COVID-19: The Moronavirus.
My Soundcloud
Lefty Lounge Lizard's Guitars & Amps Extravaganza
Fastest ears in the West
COVID-19: The Moronavirus.
My Soundcloud
Lefty Lounge Lizard's Guitars & Amps Extravaganza
Fastest ears in the West
COVID-19: The Moronavirus.
My Soundcloud
Aside from a few dBs change in the (DAW) EQ and turning off the Eventide, it's the same tone - SH-5 equipped guitar into cranked Marshall plexi boosted by an MXR 6 band EQ set flat with only 800Hz cranked (+18dB)... running into DAW using Celestion G12 65 iRs, etc...
And yes, pretty much MIDI ripped from a GP6 tab with some massaging. Not the greatest but sounds better than raw.
Lefty Lounge Lizard's Guitars & Amps Extravaganza
Fastest ears in the West
COVID-19: The Moronavirus.
My Soundcloud
Listen up: there's a particular thread where some are boasting about their music theory knowledge and how to communicate all this stuff to band members. So: let 'em put their money where their mouths are??? LOL!!! Yeh. I'm just being facetious I know. But still something to think about.
And it doesn't have to be OVER complicated with like a gazillion rhythm and solo tracks. We can double some of them you know!!! LOL!!! C'mon. I'm sure we can do this.
I really think it'd be real interesting and a really nice and fun project (more than fun actually i.e. could amount to something and I HONESTLY believe this).
Also: I'm not trying to do this to get in on the action as a musician/guitarist so that needs to be clear. I don't think I'm up to scratch guitar wise to contribute. So as I said: not my reasoning at all for suggesting this. I'd rather take our resident experts and put it all together nice and professional (if I'm the one to do it as noted).
Also: I do realize that I have more time on their hands than most. So if I were to drive this I'd try to make it as streamlined and as non intrusive as possible on people's time.
All I can say is that for me and given the Dio link: it'd be a labor of love for me to do this.
And just think of the learning possibilities for all??? How many people have attempted to do this across continental lines??? We could discuss the video aspects, tone aspects, mixing and mastering, you name it. And we have the technology as I said.
On the other hand: maybe I'm not the right chap to do this. I'm certainly willing to try but maybe there's somebody out there with more experience and has done this sh*te before and is keen??? Maybe it's something you YOURSELF would rather do??? I'm just FINE with that. If nothing else: I'd just like to be given the opportunity to comment on the final quality is all i.e. I got very good ears and an acute sense of timing (and let's face it: not to blow my own horn here but when it comes to anything Dio related I think you'd be hard pressed to find somebody that knows their oats better than I when it comes to what things SHOULD sound like).
So is that a "yes" then??? LOL!!!
I dig it! I cant say I can 100% follow your convos (not being native english speaker), but I am starting to get the point! This sounds amazing. LLL man you really know your stuff!
To encourage and wet some appetites here's the drum track using Vinnie's kit in BFD3.
Downloaded some or the other tab from Ultimate Guitar, pulled into GP7, exported to MIDI, pulled into Mixcraft Pro Studio 8.1, loaded BFD3 with Vinnie's kit, randomized ("humanized") the velocities, slapped Neutron 2 Advanced onto the track using "Added Snap" preset, and rendered to 44.1kHz/32-bit WAV file, then converted to MP3 44.1kHz/16-bit MP3 in SoundForge Pro 12. Obviously this just for demo. purposes i.e. the original WAV file is like 152MB big so that would have to be uploaded for collaboration for download.
Also happened to notice there are a sh*tpile of bars before the drum track even starts so there's that.
Listening to that on my Alto PA with 2 x subs. It doesn't get more real than this short of having Vinnie sitting in here!!!
And at 88.2kHz or 96kHz it's really pristine (reverb tails etc. are crystal clear and loads more air).
Anyways. If we were to do this then I reckon the drum track needs to be the yardstick/baseline right (that's the reason I'm banging on about the drum track)??? Also: the original tab/MIDI would have to be used in the beginning for the intros. right???
Last edited by dpaterson; 02-18-2019 at 01:06 AM.
Alright. For those not sure what we're on about here follows three videos. For those interested: actually WATCH them as in ANALYSE them. I'm not seeing the problem here. Not with all the talent on these forums. And not with the technology that we have at our disposal (which they did NOT have at the time might I remind everyone).
First (below) is "the making of" really (gives me chills to watch it I'll tell ya).
Second is the final version or product.
Third is the Metal Allegiance collaboration of "We Rock" (which I've posted before i.e. this just an example of what we can accomplish here).
Just one thing that's kinda obvious to me though: it's the vocals that can make or break this idea.
Final version or product:
We can do THIS:
Main reason I included this:
Watch it very carefully. Some of this stuff was done in different takes (well overdubbed) i.e. the audio, with the exception of the drums, isn't exactly what's being shown in the video (talking specifically here of the guitar parts i.e. some of the vocals obviously just mimed). It is VERY well done and VERY subtle but if you look carefully you'll see what I mean. Point is: we CAN do THIS!!!
And I shall CALM DOWN now to a dull roar and wait for some further input on all of this.
Last edited by dpaterson; 02-18-2019 at 04:29 AM.
For the sake of interest and to obtain a pristine audio track of this thing I did a search. Boy was I surprised!!! Check the price at Amazon:
Somebody is taking the proverbial pi*s. At least I hope so. Because if the original in 1985/1986 sold for anything near that then I'm figuring they didn't sell too many copies.
Then again and according to the below the project raised $1M USD in a year.
Would be real curious to know just how much of that $1M USD (plus) actually filtered down (being sarcastic of course i.e. this is AFRIKA baby!!!).
And always nice to see Wendy milking the sacred Dio cow of course.
Brings me to a point:
If we do this are we gonna have copyright issues and what not??? Anybody know anything about this cr*p???
yes right! if Skolnik can do it then why can't we ? (attempt to humor!!)
Anyways regarding the cover of the original, there should be a clear sign : Ppl without sprayed hair, makeup and spandex are strictly forbidden !
but alright its doable ... fine idea by you guys!
Managed to find a SEMI decent quality audio file so uploaded:
Been trying to count the number of solos from the file. Ahem... You're not kidding @LLL about the number of solos (parts). So far I don't have an accurate count.
And who is the clown with the whammy bar at 4:32 thru 4:40 or so??? LOL!!!
On a sidenote: good game to play i.e. identify your favorite guitarist from the solos!!! LOL!!! (I reckon I guess Vivian and Yngwie and that's about it). Suppose one could play the same game with the vocals (oddly enough I recognise a lot more of them and without cheating).
By the way: the proper tempo (at least in the file above) for the song is 110 and not 105 (as per the GP file that I downloaded anyway).
Not without competition. This just a quick Google search which churned out SoundCloud uploads:
Well I say that. One or two alright and passable. Most a joke.
Last edited by dpaterson; 02-18-2019 at 04:49 AM.
Well. That's about as much fun as I can have with this on my own!!! Time to get back to my solo career while I eagerly await some input here.
Last edited by dpaterson; 02-18-2019 at 04:30 AM.


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A few weeks ago, I posted a blog entitled "Elizabeth Kaeton Does the Math" -- outlining the number of states/dioceses that now have either civil marriage or civil unions/domestic partnership protections for same sex families. Today, we add Nevada to the list.
Nevada lawmakers reject veto of partnership bill
By BRENDAN RILEY
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada's Assembly voted Sunday to override Gov. Jim Gibbons' veto and to change state law so that domestic partners, whether gay or straight, have many of the rights and benefits that Nevada offers to married couples.
The Assembly's 28-14 vote — the bare two-thirds majority needed — followed the state Senate's vote a day earlier to enact the measure into state lawbooks over the conservative Republican governor's objections.
The bill provides that domestic partners have the same rights as married couples in matters such as community property and responsibility for debts. It also prohibits discrimination against domestic partners.
Critics contended that domestic partners can sign private contracts to accomplish many of the goals of the bill, and that it conflicted with the intent of Nevadans who voted in 2002 for a constitutional amendment supporting marriage between a man and a woman.
The measure states, among other things, that no "solemnization ceremony" is required and it's "left to the dictates and conscience of partners entering into a domestic partnership" whether to have such a ceremony.


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Land Rover reveals electrified Defender research vehicle
February 28, 2013
by Jonathon Ramsey
Somewhere in the Land Rover corral at the Geneva Motor Show next to that nine-speed ZF 9HP automatic transmission will be seven Land Rover Defender electric research vehicles. The Advanced Engineering Team replaced the diesel in the front of its 110-Series Defender with an electric motor producing 94 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque running through a single-speed transmission, powered by a 300-volt lithium-ion battery with a 27kWh capacity. The resulting specs are a range beyond 50 miles, eight hours of low-speed off-road work and a four-hour recharge using a 7kW quick charger.
Full article, images, and press release available at link.


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Brazil minister: Speed up work at World Cup venues
Recommended Video:
SAO PAULO (AP) -- Brazil's sports minister is concerned about the pace of construction at the 2014 World Cup stadiums that need to be ready in December.
Aldo Rebelo said Tuesday that work needs to be accelerated at five of the six stadiums that are under construction because they "are facing a tight deadline." The minister said that only the Sao Paulo stadium that will host the opening match next June is comfortably on track to be completed on time.
FIFA has made it clear that it wants all 12 stadiums ready by December. It has said it won't tolerate the kind of delays that afflicted the stadiums used in the Confederations Cup earlier this year.
Only two of the six Confederations Cup venues were completed by the end of 2012 as FIFA had originally wanted. Football's governing body made exceptions for this year's event but said it would not do the same ahead of football's showcase tournament.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke reiterated recently that it's crucial to have all 12 World Cup stadiums ready this year and said organizers would increase monitoring of construction work at the venues. Valcke plans to visit Brazil next Monday to inspect work in Sao Paulo, Curitiba and Manaus.
"We can get everything done in time, but we will need to speed up the pace of the construction work," Rebelo said at a senate hearing on Tuesday.
Rebelo, the government official in charge of the country's preparations for the World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics, made a similar pledge last week, calling for the host cities to pick up the pace at the construction sites.
"Sao Paulo is in an advanced stage with more than 80 percent of the work done, but the others are facing a tight deadline," he said. "We need to improve the pace in most of the stadiums if we want to deliver them by the (December) deadline."
Four of the stadiums are less than 80 percent completed -- in Curitiba, Manaus, Natal and Porto Alegre. The venue in Cuiaba is 80 percent ready, according to the sports ministry.
"It's possible to intensify the work now by adding more engineers and more workers," Rebelo said. "We couldn't do that in the earlier stages, but now we can."
The minister said it's important to get the stadiums ready this year so local organizers can host the necessary test events before the World Cup begins. FIFA usually wants at least three test events at each venue, but that didn't happen in most of the Confederations Cup stadiums because of the construction delays.
Follow Tales Azzoni at http://twitter.com/tazzoni


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The NFL Championship game on December 30, 1962 featured the same two teams who had faced off for the title in '61 – the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. In that instance, the Packers had blown the Giants out by a 37-0 score at Green Bay. Now they were meeting on New York's home turf in the rematch.
The Packers, under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, had gone 13-1 in placing at the top of the Western Conference for the third straight year. Hard-hitting FB Jim Taylor had a MVP season as he led the NFL in rushing with 1474 yards (the first NFL runner not named Jim Brown to do so since 1956) and scored a record 19 touchdowns. QB Bart Starr was the league's top-rated passer and the offensive line was outstanding. Even the off-year for HB Paul Hornung, who had won three straight scoring titles from 1959 to '61 but was hampered by a bad knee, could not derail the offense, and All-Pro G Jerry Kramer (pictured above) had taken over Hornung's placekicking responsibilities. The defense was just as strong and yielded the fewest points in the NFL.
Head Coach Allie Sherman's Giants came in first in the Eastern Conference at 12-2, winning their last nine games in doing so. The brilliant passing of QB Y.A. Tittle was the key to the offense – he had set a new NFL record with 33 TD passes and had excellent targets in split end Del Shofner, flanker Frank Gifford, and TE Joe Walton. FB Alex Webster was effective both running the ball and as a receiver out of the backfield. The veteran defense was solid.
There were 64,892 in attendance at frigid Yankee Stadium. Temperatures were in the teens and with winds gusting as high as 45 mph, the wind chill was below zero. Traction was difficult on the frozen turf and whirlwinds of dust occasionally blew about.
The Giants had first possession and reached their own 46 before having to punt. Jerry Kramer put the Packers on the board with a 26-yard field goal midway through the first quarter after Green Bay drove 61 yards to the 19 yard line and Jim Taylor was stopped for no gain on third down and short.
The Giants threatened, driving to the Green Bay 15. However, MLB Ray Nitschke deflected a Tittle pass that was intercepted by LB Dan Currie to end the threat and returned it 30 yards before falling. Following the interception, the Packers advanced to the New York 30 but Kramer missed a field goal try from 37 yards.
A punt by Max McGee was nearly blocked by CB Erich Barnes but the rushed kick went only 23 yards. Two plays later, HB Phil King fumbled when hit by Currie and Nitschke recovered at the New York 28. The Packers capitalized as Paul Hornung tossed an option pass to flanker Boyd Dowler for 21 yards and Taylor followed up with a seven-yard touchdown run up the middle (pictured below).
Now late in the second quarter, the Giants responded by moving into Green Bay territory. However, Don Chandler attempted a 47-yard field goal for the Giants that went wide of the mark. The Packers took a 10-0 lead into halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Green Bay's offense couldn't advance the ball while backed up deep in its own territory. With the Packers punting from their own 15 yard line, Barnes broke through this time to block McGee's kick and end Jim Collier fell on the loose ball in the end zone for a New York touchdown after LB Bill Forester was unable to scoop it up at the five (picture below shows Barnes at right just before blocking the punt). With the successful extra point, it was a three-point game.
Once again the Packers couldn't move on offense, but McGee's line-drive punt was muffed by DB Sam Horner and Nitschke recovered at the New York 42. The five-play series culminated in a 29-yard field goal by Kramer.
The Giants, now down by six, drove into Green Bay territory with the help of penalties. From the Green Bay 47, Tittle threw a pass intended for Del Shofner that fell incomplete. However, FS Willlie Wood was charged with pass interference and when he leaped up to protest he inadvertently knocked the official, back judge Thomas Kelleher, to the ground. It resulted in Wood's ejection and another 15 yard penalty on the Packers that advanced the ball to the 18. Tittle overthrew Shofner and the Giants followed up with a double reverse in which King lateraled back to Tittle who was under pressure from DE Willie Davis and threw a bad pass that was almost picked off by Currie. Two holding calls on the Giants moved the ball all the way back to the 40. On third-and-52, Tittle threw short for flanker Frank Gifford, who dropped it. The Giants came up empty.
Early in the fourth quarter, HB Elijah Pitts returned a punt 36 yards and nearly broke it all the way. Bart Starr passed the Packers down to the New York 27 but they lost ground from there and Kramer was unsuccessful on a 40-yard field goal try.
The Giants were unable to move on offense and punted. Taking over at their 28, the Packers kept the ball on the ground and reached the New York 24. With 1:50 remaining in the game, Kramer kicked his third field goal to effectively seal the win for the Packers. The Giants drove to the Green Bay seven on their last possession before time ran out. Green Bay was the champion once again by a score of 16-7.
The Giants outgained Green Bay (291 yards to 244) and the clubs were even in first downs with 18 apiece. The Packers were more successful at running the ball (148 yards to 94) and New York turned the ball over three times while Green Bay's offense suffered none.
Jim Taylor had a hard-earned 85 yards on 31 carries that included a touchdown and gained 20 more yards on three pass receptions. Moreover, he engaged in a personal battle in the trenches with New York's defense (most notably star MLB Sam Huff), often exchanging words and exemplifying the game's intensity. Bart Starr completed just 9 of 21 passes for 85 yards while Paul Hornung, who contributed 35 yards on 8 rushing attempts, also tossed a key halfback option pass for a 21-yard gain. Boyd Dowler led the Green Bay receivers with 4 catches for 48 yards. Ray Nitschke recovered two fumbles and had the pass deflection that was intercepted and was named MVP of the game by Sport Magazine.
As if the wind was not enough, Y.A. Tittle (pictured below) was under constant pressure throughout the game. He was successful on 18 of 41 throws for 197 yards with no TDs and one interception. Joe Walton and Del Shofner had 5 catches apiece, for 75 and 69 yards, respectively. Alex Webster ran for 56 yards on 15 carries and Phil King added 38 yards on 11 attempts.
Summing up, Vince Lombardi stated that his team's "defense was superb and so was New York's."
"Green Bay is obviously a worthy champion, because they have things they had to overcome and they went out there and overcame them and got the points," said Allie Sherman from the losing side.
The Packers barely missed out on winning the Western Conference again in 1963, finishing a close second to the Chicago Bears. They would win their next league title in 1965. New York topped the Eastern Conference yet again in '63, but once more fell short in the Championship game. In two title games, the Giants failed to score a single offensive touchdown against Green Bay.


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Miracles happen with this work..
I was thinking about the process that is unfolding in the current Miracle Zone group and the amazing results that I witnessed at the recent event in Scottsdale. I live fully within those moments when my students are struggling with their unconscious blocks. I'm right there in the middle of it all. Honestly, it's not easy. I have moments of wanting nothing more than to soothe the upset, maybe offer a pat on the back as a quick fix, but I always seem to find the energy to stand in the light of their truth as they complete their process. It's like walking toward a pit bull in the midst of a tantrum, not knowing if your love will provoke a lick on the face or an exhausting fight to the finish. Read more


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The Rugged Ridge Windshield Mount Light Bar for 2007-10 Wrangler that debuted with much fanfare at SEMA is now in stock and shipping!
That's right the folks at Rugged Ridge, who brought us the innovative All Terrain Floor Liners and the XHD Modular Bumper system, set their sights on constructing the ultimate Jeep Wrangler Light Bar. The result is this exciting new design that has five light mounting tabs and revolutionary features found nowhere else. Through extensive testing, they were able to incorporate a special wind deflector below the light bar to dramatically reduce whistling and "buffeting" of your soft top. The light bar hugs the contour of your windshield providing a great look without impeding the use of your hard or soft top. Oversized 2″ textured black or polished stainless tubing attaches to your windshield mounts with no drilling. Each Light bar has five light tabs for that accommodate up to five 7″ lights (also available from Rugged Ridge). Each light bar has been specially developed to work with Rugged Ridge Light mount brackets and/or Rugged Ridge mirror relocation brackets. So, you can mount additional lights, and ride around with your doors off while retaining your OE mirrors! Special three piece design makes the packaging small for shipping and eases installation. This is truly the most advanced light bar on the market!


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So Long 2011!
Here's to another great year for MG! Where has this time gone? It seems like just yesterday that I was blogging about the Business of Design Conference back in August or debuting my space at the Chicago Merchandise Mart Dream Home back in June.
I did this post at the end of 2010, and I can't believe the time has already come to do it again! Here's to you, 2011!
What MG Chicago and my firm Buckingham Interiors + Design were up to these past 12 months…
Wishing all MG readers health and prosperity in the new year!
This post was about a very family friendly project I recently completed in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. I wanted to showcase bold colors, textures and patterns in a space that is just as whimsical for adults as it is for children. Look for this home being featured in the January issue of CSInteriors on bookstands January 19th. Written by Tate Gunnerson and photographed by Anthony Tahlier, this should be a very good read.
This is a post about a project I recently completed in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood that was featured in Luxe Magazine. I tried to play up the homeowner's love and appreciation of fine art as well as the unparalleled views from this stunning modern high rise.
"Affordable Modern? Sign Me Up!"
CB2 did a promotion called "Unlock Affordable Modern" throughout the country, and while it has since ended, my affinity for CB2 certainly has not. As a lover of all things modern and antique, it was around this time that I coined the term "modernique" to define by aesthetic. I was asked to speak at the High Point Antiques Market to elaborate on my visions of design nirvana achieved by the mixture of using antiques and modern furnishing's within each space that I design. Thank you Karen and Amanda!
The month of September was a busy one for me! I was here, there and everywhere, including the Brizo event for Jason Wu in NYC during Fashion Week. I was invited to the Blogger 19 event (as you can see, there are 19 of us) and had a fabulous time mingling amongst some of the blogosphere's finest! Not to mention being up close and personal with Jason Wu's stunning couture creations was worth the trip in itself! I made some amazing new pals- we are connecting again in February of this year for the 2nd annual Design Blogger's Conference in LA. So looking forward to seeing them and friends who will be speaking and presenting this year.
One of my assistant's stayed at the Surrey Hotel in NYC in August and came back to Chicago raving about it. Of course, I had to check it out for myself! I must say I was very impressed! Sleek, modern, sophisticated yet so comfortable and livable…I didn't ever want to check out when I was staying here!
"A Gift for You, A Gift for Me!"
I became obsessed with Layla Grace when I had to purchase a birthday present for a friend in July. While I bought her a monogrammed lucite tray, I inevitably found many things that I was obsessing over for myself! Needless to say that the BID Team has been on the wire many times since then sourcing for our client's galore. This orange side table being one of my faves…
"Dreaming Big at the Merchandise Mart Dream Home"
I was thrilled to be a part of this year's Dream Home at the Chicago Merchandise Mart! Above is an image of my space. Many thanks to my wonderful team and vendors at the Mart-Bradley Hughes, Baker, Dessin Fournir, Boyd, Paris Ceramics, Holly Hunt, Cai, Jim Thompson, Joanne Trestrail, Richard Norton and Lee Jofa…couldn't have pulled this together without you! I am looking forward to seeing what next years chosen Chicago designer's do with these spaces.
"Come out to See the Lake Forest Showhouse!"
May was the month of the highly anticipated biannual Lake Forest Showhouse. My firm designed the foyer, front staircase, and second floor front hall. May was a fantastic, albeit very busy, month for me. All worth it because I love what I do!
I finished this Lincoln Park Victorian in April. I loved this project because like many of my projects, this was a historic home that had unbelievable architectural details beneath the surface of some subtle digging and that we were able to bring back upon restoration. It was amazing to see the history of the house come alive while being updated with modern furniture, art and finishes.
Spring break month! One of my assistant's spent a week in beautiful Palm Beach, Florida and sent me this article about the Lauder Estate there. Can anything top this view?! Aerin…I will come hang out anytime 😉
"Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful!"
February is truly is the doldrums of winter, and during this time nothing looks better than a blue sky, crystal clear ocean and tropical drink. Included in Travel and Leisure's 500 Best Hotel issue were many beach resorts, and I couldn't resist indulging and fantasizing that I was was lounging on this chaise above.
"The Breakup" is one of my favorite movies because a. I love Vince Vaughn b. it takes place in my hometown of Chicago and c. it features my good friend and wonderful artist Francine Turk! I use Francine's work all the time (and exhibited her work in my showroom as seen above) and wanted to share with MG just how talented and amazing she is! Hopefully Francine will be joining me this month at Maison et Objet in Paris. Can't wait for that- not just Paris but to see and learn the latest and greatest in design for the upcoming year. More to share with y'all!


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"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" - (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
"Pilot" (Content Rating TBD) (HDTV)
A RE-IMAGINING OF THE CLASSIC TALE - When she was a teenager, Catherine "Cat" Chandler (Kristin Kreuk, "Smallville") witnessed the murder of her mother. Cat would have been killed too, but someone - or something - saved her. Now, years have passed and Cat is a police officer, investigating a case that leads her to the person who saved her: a doctor named Vincent Keller (Jay Ryan, "Terra Nova"). With the help of his childhood friend J.T. Forbes (Austin Basis, "Life Unexpected"), Vincent has been in hiding, guarding his secret - when enraged, he becomes a terrifying beast, unable to control his super strength. Still, Cat is touched by the person that lives within the Beast and she knows she has to keep her relationship with Vincent a secret from her boss, Joe Bishop (Brian White, "The Shield"), her partner, Tess Vargas (Nina Lisandrello, "Nurse Jackie"), and even from her close friend, Evan Marks (Max Brown, "The Tudors"), the medical examiner. Cat and Vincent are powerfully drawn to one another, but they understand that their connection is extremely dangerous for both of them. Gary Fleder directed the episode written by Sherri Cooper & Jennifer Levin (#100).


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Hey guys! I know it's been a few weeks since I've blogged. Sorry. It's been CRAZY busy this summer!
So, a lot's happened lately. I've been quilting up a storm, working on commissioned projects, projects of my own, and writing. I even published a book (my 2nd one comes out August 30th! For more about that, go here.)
I also was contacted by Diamond Candles to see if I would be willing to try their product, give my honest review, and host a giveaway.
Have you heard of Diamond Candles before? They have these awesome, all natural soy candles. And the best part? Each candle has a ring hidden inside the wax. Some of the rings aren't worth much, but there's always the chance your candle could have a ring worth up to $5000!!
So, I picked out the candle I wanted. My husband is really picky about candles (I know, weird, right?), and so I picked a scent that wasn't so much fruity or food-related. They have a lot of really good scents though. If I could have gotten the whole line, I totally would have! I ended up ordering Midnight Kiss.
I couldn't have been more surprised when it arrived. Guys, the candle is huge! Way bigger than I expected.


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A South Florida man is behind bars after authorities say he kicked a small dog and attacked two people because of their Cuban ethnicity.
Alexander Gomez-Jimenez, 30, is facing two counts of battery as a hate crime and one count of tormenting a dog following his arrest in Pembroke Pines Sunday. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.
"Sir, last night I got brutally attacked by two Cubans and a Boxer dog," Gomez-Jimenez told Judge John Hurley during his bond court appearance Monday morning. "And they punched my mother in the head."
According to a police affidavit read in court by Hurley, officers were called to Buttonwood Avenue Sunday to break up a fight. Police said Gomez-Jimenez confronted two people who were walking their 50-pound Boxer and began yelling disparaging remarks, Hurley said.
"You stupid Cubans, I hate Cubans," Gomez-Jimenez said, according to the affidavit, before he started swinging his fists at the two victims.
Gomez-Jimenez also kicked the dog, causing it to yelp in pain, Hurley said.
One of the victims suffered an abrasion to their neck, while another had a lip injury, Hurley said. The dog appeared to be uninjured.
"Your honor, I'm handicapped, I wouldn't attack two Cubans and a Boxer dog, your honor," Gomez-Jimenez told Hurley, as he appeared to continually flex his wrist.
Gomez-Jimenez explained that he has surgery on his arm and had metal plates put in.
Hurley set Gomez-Jimenez's bond at $5,000 on each count, for a total of $15,000, but ordered him held without bond on other pending cases.
"Going after people, it really just looks like gratuitous violence against people of a different ethnicity than you," Hurley said. "And then the dog, it seems like the dog didn't do anything, you just exacted violence on the animal for no good reason."
"Your honor, I never had a battery charge before in my life," Gomez-Jimenez said.
Hurley also ordered Gomez-Jimenez to stay away from the victims and the dog.
South Florida Man Attacked Cubans, Kicked Dog: Authorities
Man facing battery, tormenting dog charges after attack in Pembroke Pines: Authorities
A South Florida man is behind bars after authorities say he kicked a small dog and attacked two people because of their Cuban ethnicity.


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Monday, September 28
Sexy California Figs: A Recipe for Fresh Fig, Ricotta, and Honey Breakfast Crostini
A ripe Calimyrna fig grown in San Diego County.
You might think that these figs are the product of a Photoshop trick I learned at the BlogHer Conference this weekend. Nope. These photos, however sexy, are all natural -- the glistening flesh you see is what makes a fresh fig so luscious (and so perishable).
A ripe fig is a sensual fruit: its soft, delicate skin often splits with ripeness, emitting a fruity perfume and sweet, honeyed nectar.
Fresh fig season is heart-breakingly short (from August through October). That's why I buy a basket or two every weekend at my farmers' market. Though delicious eaten out-of-hand, fresh figs are a lovely addition to salads, sandwiches, pastas, breads, and, of course, desserts.
Brown turkey figs grown in San Diego County.
Fresh figs are not featured frequently enough in breakfast recipes, so today I'm sharing my recipe for Fresh Fig, Ricotta, and Honey Breakfast Crostini. The beauty of these breakfast crostini is that they're wonderfully easy to make, yet make breakfast seem, well, sexy. Try one on, and see what your partner thinks.
Fresh Fig, Ricotta, and Honey Breakfast Crostini
This isn't so much a detailed recipe as it is a guide. Adjust amounts to suit your taste.
Makes 10-12 slices
Print recipe only here.
1 large loaf crusty bread, such as French country or ciabatta (cut into 10-12 slices)
1 (8-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
8-12 medium fresh figs, any variety, stemmed and sliced
1/2 cup dry roasted, unsalted pistachios
the zest of 1 large lemon
1 small bottle quality honey
1. Preheat broiler. Place bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil for 3 minutes, or until lightly toasted and golden brown.
2. Spread 1-2 tablespoons ricotta cheese on a toasted bread slice. Top with 6-7 fresh fig slices, a few pistachios and some lemon zest. Drizzle with desired amount of honey. Repeat with remaining slices. Serve immediately.
You might enjoy more of my fresh fig recipes:
Dessert Risotto with Wine-Poached Figs
Fresh Fig and Fennel Pizza
Fresh Fig, Arugula, and Mascarpone Bruschetta
These fabulous fig recipes would also brighten any breakfast:
Quick Refrigerator Fig Jam recipe at A Mingling of Tastes
Ricotta Pancakes with Figs recipe at Serious Eats
Fresh Fig and Rose Smoothie recipe at Chocolate and Zucchini
Fresh Fig Muffin recipe at Lulu at Home
Fig Financiers recipe at Novice Baker
Learn more about California figs at the California Fresh Fig Growers Association
36 comments:
- Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...
Sexy is right! I recently bought a single fresh fig from the store because I love how they taste (so different from dried!) but they're a real pain in the wallet. Thanks for a great idea about how to use them next time.
- September 28, 2009 at 8:59 PM
- Jersey Girl Cooks said...
Love figs and I just blogged about them last week. Your photos are beautiful!
- September 28, 2009 at 9:24 PM
- Sarah said...
Looks delicious. I have a confession - I have never had a fig. I will try one soon!
- September 28, 2009 at 9:39 PM
- Unknown said...
This looks amazing!I have never cooked with figs, but they look so juicy and delicious.
- September 28, 2009 at 9:43 PM
- Peter M said...
Nothing beats figs that are tree-ripened. Just a small twist of the wrist and they come off.I refuse to buy the figs at the markets here...$1 piece and they taste like cucumbers!
- September 29, 2009 at 4:28 AM
- ChichaJo said...
They certainly do look sexy! Oh how I have bemoaned our lack of fresh figs where I come from...a lovely breakfast like this is just a dream for me!
- September 29, 2009 at 5:06 AM
- Johanna GGG said...
mm - that breakfast looks exotic and delicious - if I had fresh figs in season I would be trying it now
- September 29, 2009 at 5:11 AM
- stacey snacks said...
I like this idea for breakfast.
I usually serve this as an appetizer in the summer, when we can get gorgeous fresh figs in NJ.
- September 29, 2009 at 5:58 AM
- Katie @ goodLife {eats} said...
My neighbor grows them, so I'm pretty spoiled in that whenever the craving strikes I can call over and ask for a handful or two. I'd love to eat that for breakfast! YUM! It was nice meeting you and I enjoyed your panel discussion. Especially the airport story!
- September 29, 2009 at 6:33 AM
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
I am easily seduced by crostini, so why not start the day with a taste of fig and romance! Great to see you in San Fran!
- September 29, 2009 at 7:27 AM
- Daphne said...
Sexy. These pictures are hot. I am now totally in the mood...for a fig I mean.
- September 29, 2009 at 8:10 AM
- The Teacher Cooks said...
One of my students and I were reading this together and enjoyed the simplicity. Great idea!
- September 29, 2009 at 8:13 AM
- Melanie said...
I love this fig pairing with goat cheese and honey.
- September 29, 2009 at 8:15 AM
- Hunter Angler Gardener Cook said...
Buy figs? You live in San Diego - gather them or plant a tree! I got a good crop of figs off a bareroot fig after only 2 years, and now I routinely post "I'm smothered by figs" posts on my site... it's a good problem to have.
If you have any yard at all figs will grow, and they are nearly fool-proof. Only worry is if a flock of birds finds them -- then you need netting. I have never (knock on wood!) had that problem, though.
- September 29, 2009 at 8:59 AM
- Alanna said...
So lovely to see you in San Francisco. Now I want to see your breakfast too ... tee hee!
- September 29, 2009 at 10:12 AM
- The Duo Dishes said...
Well, it's lunch time now. Would it still be OK to have one? :)
- September 29, 2009 at 12:27 PM
- Juliana said...
Wow, these crostinis look so yummie...love figs, and what a nice picture!
- September 29, 2009 at 12:50 PM
- Michelle @ Find Your Balance said...
Oh I adore fresh figs! I usually eat 'em with a smear of raw honey but this looks so lovely. Thanks for the idea!
- September 29, 2009 at 3:16 PM
- Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...
Fresh figs are impossibly hard to come by here in the Northeast. They would be so lovely for breakfast.
- September 29, 2009 at 3:43 PM
- The Food Hunter said...
Great photos...I love figs.
- September 29, 2009 at 3:53 PM
- Abby said...
Gorgeous. My neighbor has fig trees, er bushes? Fig and prosciutto pizza here I come!
- September 29, 2009 at 4:01 PM
- Anna (londonfoodieny) said...
yum! some of my favourite flavours in there! beautiful pictures
- September 29, 2009 at 4:53 PM
- Maris said...
Can you believe I've never had a fresh fig? That's going to need to change before the end of the fig season here!
- September 29, 2009 at 5:39 PM
- Manggy said...
Oh noooo! I knew I should've bought a package when I was in san Francisco. Now I gotta wait nearly a year to know what they really taste like!
What my partner would think? Lol. :)
- September 30, 2009 at 3:52 AM
- Maria said...
I am so glad we got to meet at the conference. You are so sweet. I appreciate your kindness and enjoyed your presentation. Fabulous photos here. I know what I am having for a snack soon:)
- September 30, 2009 at 3:17 PM
- Soma said...
Luscious luscious & sexy indeed. We are still waiting for our figs here. Really make me think if I should plant one at home. our friend has 2 fig trees & it was quite an experience walking around the yard, eating the figs straight from the tree!
- September 30, 2009 at 4:12 PM
I would eat that crostini at any time of the day! And I've never seen a fig as moist as that one. Yet another reason to move to Southern California....
- September 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM
- Cookie baker Lynn said...
I must admit to being a fig-a-phobe. Do fresh figs have the same gritty texture as dried figs? Your sultry prose is doing a good job selling the figs, but the texture is the make or break issue for me.
- September 30, 2009 at 5:37 PM
- amanda said...
so simple, yet so delicious! i'm hardcore craving a couple of these puppies right about now. :-)
- September 30, 2009 at 6:25 PM
- Christine said...
Gorgeous photos, Susan! Simple recipes are the best way to showcase this delicious fruit, and you've presented a perfect one.
Great to see you in SF last weekend! :)
- September 30, 2009 at 7:27 PM
- Aparna Balasubramanian said...
You know Susan, I think I could have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I don't have much of a sweet tooth! :)
- September 30, 2009 at 10:58 PM
- Petra said...
What a great combination! I tried it and it´s delicious.
- September 30, 2009 at 11:57 PM
- J said...
Lovely and easy for breakfast!
- October 1, 2009 at 3:34 AM
The crostini is a stellar idea! Well done dear.
Beautiful photos...lovely site.
- October 1, 2009 at 11:38 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
xiaolu-They're worth the expense though, aren't they?
lisa-I'm glad you liked them.
sarah-What?! Go buy one. Now! ;)
lynda-Then you must. You're missing out on something fabulous.
peter-It's true. There's nothing like fresh-from-the-tree figs.
joey-They are dreamy.
johanna-It beats cereal!
stacie-I love them for appetizers too.
katie-I enjoyed meeting you too. And I'm glad you liked the story. I like it too. :)
TW-I loved meeting you too!
daphne-Whew! That's as close to an "R" rated comment as it comes on this blog. ;)
theteachercooks-Thank you both! I'm so happy you're enjoying my blog.
melanie-The flavors marry beautifully.
hank-Nope. Zero yard. I live in a condo. Guess I'll have to pay you a visit next summer. ;)
alanna-I loved seeing you too. Wish you come over for breakfast so we could chat some more.
juliana-Many thanks!
michelle-I'm so glad you like it.
lydia-They are indeed.
foodhunter-Thank you so much!
abby-I adore that pizza. Seriously. Hope you make it!
anna-I really love the sweet and tangy flavors.
maris-never? Don't delay any longer! Please! ;)
mark-Lesson learned: Never, ever pass up fresh figs. ;)
maria-You were delightful! I'm so glad we met.
soma-It is heavenly, isn't it?
anonymous-Come on over!
lynn-No, the texture is completely different. They're soft and almost creamy.
amanda-They go down pretty easily.
christine-Thank you! It was lovely seeing you again.
petra-Oh, I'm so happy to hear that. Thanks for letting me know.
jyothsna-It's an easy way to make breakfast special.
cheriepicked-Thank you, my dear!
- October 5, 2009 at 8:17 AM
- Sam@BingeNYC said...
Mmm...I ADORE figs. Can't get enough of them! This looks incredibly delicious.
- October 7, 2009 at 9:15 AM


text:
Bows and arrows have evolved quite a bit since the Paleolithic era. But one thing hasn't changed in 12,000 years. This has never been a sport of sheer skill and power—its most elite competitors have always relied on the best gear of the age.
Jake Kaminski, a 23-year-old athlete representing the USA in the 2012 Olympics, will take the top gadgets in the world of archery to London this month. But first, he's here to answer your questions.
A little background—Jake began flinging arrows around his parents' yard at age six. He started competing three years later. After winning a New York State Championship, he began to rank nationally. Here are a few more recent career highlights:
- 2005 Overall National Champion
- 2005 All America's Indoor Champion
- 2007 Senior National Team Champion
- 2009 United States Archery Team Member
- 2009 Target National Team Champion
Want to learn about modern archery technology? How the equipment works? What got Jake into the sport in the first place? He is taking questions live in the discussion below. Let 'em rip!


text:
The Land of Enough
I get these catalogues and magazines in the mail—I'm sure you do too. They are filled with pictures of things I must buy and bodies I will never have. Trips I ought to go on, and cars I should drive. We live in the Land of Not Enough , and these are the coins of the realm.
These magazines and catalogues carry in them the constant message of our lack, of what we do not have and cannot be. We live in a society that sells us our own unworthiness every day. How can we possibly practice generosity and a belief in abundance amidst a barrage of scarcity?
This is hard, hard work. And one sermon will not get us out of the Land of Not Enough . And so, I bring you greetings, as fellow travelers, and word of the place to which we are going. And I can bring you a sign that we are growing closer, and that our band of travelers grows every day.
Our culture is fascinated with money. We all know the degree to which money is the real religion of America . Yet someone recently asked me, "Isn't the first rule of stewardship: Never talk about money?" I was not surprised to hear someone say this, as it's been the practice in churches for a long time: Don't talk with people about money—you'll only make them uncomfortable. Yet I disagree. I think we are longing to talk about money, even in our discomfort.
In church we grapple with life's most profound matters: justice, death, the nature of humanity, even the existence or non-existence of God. Yet the subject of money rarely comes up. In many churches it is easier to talk about sex than finances. Yes, we speak of poverty, of global economics, and perhaps share our concerns about paying for retirement.
But when do we speak of our deepest worries and fears, about the making and spending of our money?
Each of us has questions: In a culture that shapes us to be consumers before anything else, how do we make financial choices that are in line with our own values? How do we teach our children life's meaning in a society that emphasizes appearances and accumulation? What is our responsibility to the poor? What if I become poor?
These are profoundly religious questions—of ethics, human worth and security. And church is the best place for these discussions, gathered with others who share our values. Our congregations can provide a place to examine our materialist culture, to speak truthfully about our questions and struggles, to perhaps even be vulnerable in these questions, and to comfort and encourage one another along the way. This is the first step of religious stewardship.
The next step of stewardship is one that all the great religions have taught through the ages. What if I told you that I know a fantastic spiritual practice —a teaching passed down through millennia, which is the best antidote to depression, cynicism and malaise? A practice that is transformative, that will connect you to all living things, and will offer you a freer heart and boundless joy. You would be begging me to teach you this practice.
And what if I told you this practice was tithing? That's right, the practice of giving a percentage of your material goods back to the religious community. What would you say then?
The world gives us the message that we must look out for our own interests; that life is a race won by the most competitive. The world says that there are limited resources, a finite amount of wealth, goods, and love, and that each of us is on our own as we try to grab what we can. In a world such as this, tithing is a subversive act.
I have tithed for nearly ten years, and it gives me a profound spiritual freedom and grace.
Tithing tells me that the income I earn—large or small – does not define who I am. Tithing teaches me, over and over, about my dependence upon others, and theirs upon me. Ultimately, it teaches me to place my trust in something other than money. To understand that my security does not lie in material things. Rather, my security lies in community.
The offering is an ancient religious rite, performed in nearly every human society. Whether it was their finest lamb, sheaves of wheat, or wine, people brought to the common altar a portion of their harvest to sustain the wider community. Even the poorest carried something to the table, participating in this reminder of human interdependence.
Our modern version of the offering is manifested each Sunday morning, when we pass baskets to support the church's mission. Each of us receives from that shared wealth, and our wider community is also strengthened. Our offerings are less tangible now—dollars and checks instead of grains and livestock. But it is the work of our hands, nonetheless. It is our hard work made into currency. And those hours of work have power—the power to provide, to grow, to shape our world. To build things that will outlast generations.
Now, I have a confession to make. I'm jealous of the Religious Right. I'm jealous of their strength. I'm jealous of their organizing power. I'm jealous of their ability to affect elections – from school boards to presidential campaigns. Anyone else jealous?
And you know, frankly, I'm jealous of their clarity of purpose. That clarity makes it possible for them to commit themselves wholeheartedly to the pursuit of their values in the world. They have a vision of our nation's future, and they give willingly, joyfully, gratefully of their time, energy and money to the fulfillment of that vision.
What motivates these religious people to give so deeply? They believe that their values are in danger in these times. They believe that their families are threatened, their worldview is under attack, and their god is defiled. And so, perceiving themselves under attack, they work diligently against that threat. They protect and educate their children, they build institutions to preserve and spread their values, they fund candidates, and they build camps and churches and youth centers and colleges.
I'm jealous.
Where do these mostly working class people find the resources for such a unified effort? Oh, my dear friends… they tithe. They give 10% of their income to their local churches, and then they give on top of that to affiliated organizations. They believe that God calls them to do so, and that giving in this way offers God glory.
The thing is, our God—the force of Love in the universe, the unnamable yet ever-present Divine Spirit of Life, the God of trees and rivers and bears, the God of the poor and dispossessed, the God of refugees and hungry children, the God of Thoreau and Emerson, Channing and Parker, Francis David and all the nameless martyrs of our faith—our God deserves glory too. Our children need protection, our values are under attack, and we must work diligently to defend them against threat.
Some people might say that the purpose of church is to improve ourselves, to teach us spiritual practices, but not to be involved in social matters. I would offer a challenge to those people, for religion holds a unique role in society. Communities of faith perform a singular function. They have what sociologists call an "alternative imagination," an ability to posit a future different from, and better than, the present we know today.
Our religion describes a future in which every child is fed, and warm, and sleeps in a dry bed. In which all people are free from want and oppression and despair. And our faith calls us to work for that future.
The church at its best is the conscience of the people. As Oscar Romero, the martyred archbishop of El Salvador , once said, "[The church] has no intention of being the people's opium. […] The church wants to rouse men and women to the true meaning of being a people." As Mike Durall puts it, church asks us whether we live our lives any differently than our unchurched neighbors and friends.
We come together on Sunday mornings not just to heal our own souls, but also to offer healing outward in the world. Here we learn what it means to be a people, working together for the common good.
Now, lest you think churches lack any real power, let me share with you a simple fact. There was not one successful social movement in the United States that did not use religious people as its organizing base. Every successful social movement involved churches and synagogues. Think of the role of churches in the civil rights movement, or in the Sanctuary movement of the 1980's. There have been other movements too: temperance, women's suffrage, abolition.
There are examples from other countries, as well: Remember the involvement of the church in El Salvador , Nicaragua , and elsewhere, when priests, nuns and lay people risked everything in the struggle against military dictatorship. Or the simple Hungarian minister, Laszlo Tökes, whose refusal to keep silent ignited the Romanian Revolution against the dictator Ceausescu. In the Philippines , against Marcos. With the Solidarity movement in Poland – John Paul II was an outspoken supporter of that movement.
Think also of those times when churches have been silent in the face of evil. Most noteworthy were the churches in Germany during the Third Reich, who through a combination of fear, complicity, and their own anti-Semitism did not speak out against Nazi atrocities.
The religious right understands the power to be harnessed in congregations. They are brilliant in their organizing methods. They ask their people to live their faith with conviction.
Think now: Where is the voice of our faith needed, to counter injustice and prejudice? What does our Unitarian Universalist faith ask us to do, and be, in these times? How will we respond?
The great Unitarian theologian and ethicist James Luther Adams said often that in order for goodness to triumph, it must be institutionalized. If we are to make changes in the world, to create a just society, we must organize ourselves. We must lend our voices to the cause of mercy and peace. We must use all our resources—our energy, our time, and our money—to create that society.
So often we decry the power of the religious right, and wish our own message of love and freedom could be heard. And yet we have only begun to lift our voice in the world. Our times demand of us a new fidelity to our faith, and that fidelity requires us to live in new ways. It asks us to be bold, to be strong, and to grow in generosity. We, who statistically have so much more than the rest of the world, we are called to serve the good by living generously.
You have a mission—you are hoping to shine the light of our liberal faith here in this community. We need your voice here—there are so many who could find a home with you.
And so, as you consider your pledge to this congregation, let me ask you a question: What is the Spirit asking you to give of your resources to the ministry of love and justice? What percentage of your resources does Love ask you to share?
Let me ask you another question: What gift can you give that will be meaningful to you—that will give you strength and clarity in the months ahead? What gift would be exciting, and nourishing to your own spirit?
This is how we should give. The old proverb about the Lord loving a cheerful giver is often misunderstood. It doesn't mean that we should give an amount that is easy for us. It doesn't mean you should grin and bear it! It means that we should give a gift that gladdens our hearts; that gives us joy. It means when we give generously, with authenticity and integrity, the Divine moves in us. The Divine moves in us.
The question is whether we want to live our lives fearfully, trapped in the consumer mindset of our era—or do we want to live lives that are full and free, that give us a sense of purpose and wonder?
My friends, I believe it is our best hope, and a sign from the Land of ENOUGH, that you here, and our friends in congregations all over this nation, are engaged in these questions. This work of generosity outlasts the yearly fund drive, and calls us into a deeper communion with each other and with the world. It calls us to be larger, stronger, and braver than we ever imagined we could be.
Do not fear, though, for we are called together. We have one another. These are the ancient tasks of religious people: to trust the wonder of the universe, to use our lives to serve the good, and to be a blessed comfort to one another on the journey.
May it be so, my friends.
© 2005 by Cecilia Kingman Miller
District Special Consultant
Wy'east UU Congregation, Portland, OR


text:
While the Minnesota Senate race has generated a fair amount of visibility, Senate races overall have been mostly ignored across the nation as the presidential contest has sucked up nearly all of the oxygen in the room. That's too bad, because there's an interesting macro story there as well as a number of fascinating local races worth watching. As you settle in for a long evening of election viewing next Tuesday, here's a quick snapshot of what to look for in these races and an overall story that will unfold all across the nation and may make it worth waiting up to see what happens in far-flung Alaska.
The Big Picture: The Democrats currently have a 51-49 advantage in the Senate. That majority is about as thin as possible because it is achieved through the support of Joe Lieberman, Independent (and McCain supporter) of Connecticut, and Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont.
Continue reading "Election Night Prep: Senate Curtain Raiser"


text:
For The Love Of Ray J 2 (Pregnant Danger" Is Back) "Me And Ray Are Having A Baby" [TV Trailer]
Trailer for season 2 of Ray J's reality show
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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text:
Bubble & squeak cakes
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal268
- fat15g
- saturates4g
- carbs29g
- sugars3g
- fibre4g
- protein5g
- salt0.11g
- 1kg floury potatoes, quartered (I use King Edward)
The world's favourite root vegetable, the potato comes in innumerable varieties. A member of…
- 40g butter
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 500g Brussels sprout, trimmed
Brussels sproutsbruss-ell spr-ow-t
The quintessential Christmas dinner veg, Brussels sprouts are thought to have been cultivated in…
- 50g plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
- olive oil, for frying
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
Boil the potatoes for 12-15 mins or until tender, then drain and return to the pan over a low heat for 1-2 mins to dry out. Add the butter and mash well. Meanwhile, boil the sprouts for 3-5 mins until just tender. Drain and cool quickly under cold running water. Shake dry, then shred as finely as you can.
Mix the sprouts with the potatoes and season to taste. Leave until cool enough to handle, then shape into 8 round cakes. Tip the flour onto a plate, then coat the cakes, tapping off the excess.
Heat a 5mm depth of oil in a large frying pan and shallow-fry the cakes in 2 batches for 2 mins each side, turning carefully. Drain on kitchen paper and transfer to a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Cool, cover and chill or freeze. Will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 (or if you've roasted the ham, leave the oven on while it rests) and reheat the cakes for 15 mins until hot through and crisp on the outside.


text: These rocking chairs will add an adorable decorative touch to any room of the house. Featuring a classic white finish with your choice of added decoration; ladybugs, butterflies, blocks or suns. Your child will love seeing his/her name on the chair. Perfect as a seat to sit back and relax or as a decorative piece that will surely become a family heirloom.


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|January 25 - May 4, 2014
|Mayborn Museum Complex
|Pack your bags for a fifty state adventure in the Mayborn Museums new exhibit, WEEBLES Coast to Coast. Visitors will travel, with help from Weebles characters, to each of the 50 states to explore U.S. geography, history and culture. Children can pretend to go fishing in Minnesota, drive along the Pacific Coast Highway in California, join a pit crew in Indianapolis, Indiana, and so much more!
The WEEBLES Coast to Coast exhibit was created by the Betty Brinn Childrens Museum in collaboration with Hasbro. WEEBLES is a registered trademark of Hasbro, Inc. and is used with permission. © 2013 Hasbro. All rights reserved.
|Mayborn Museum
|Download this event


text:
Florida CDL Practice Test: Bus - Test 2020(From the 2020 Florida CDL Handbook)
|Number of tests:
|Number of questions:
|Passing score:
Directions: To obtain this endorsement for driving a school bus, applicants must pass a 20-question test. And to pass the test, applicants must score at least 80%. Test questions are from the Florida Commercial Driver Handbook. The School Bus endorsement can be used with the Class A, B, or C CDL. If you need additional information, please contact your local DMV office. You can find your nearest DMV office at Florida DMV locations.
1. Which of the following is a good indicator that you are driving your bus too fast for a banked curve?
2. Bus drivers should not carry more than _____ lbs. total of allowed hazardous materials.
3. Which of the following are buses never to carry?
4. Which of the following parts should you be able to identify for your CDL Skills test?
5. While driving a bus, it's good practice to stop, at minimum, how many feet before a drawbridge?
6. As you check that the steering box is mounted securely and not leaking, you should look for any missing ________.


text:
Business and Industry Training Solutions
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Today's business arena is a fast-paced, highly competitive world. Markets are changing. Customers demand higher quality standards. Technology continues to advance at record speed.
But you know all of that. You also know that, in order to compete in today's marketplace, you and your employees must keep up with the changes.
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Our daily contacts with local business and industry leaders give us an insider's understanding of the local business climate. And our connections with state, federal and international business specialists make us your one-stop resource center for business and training assistance. Professional, personalized expertise is closer and more convenient than ever before.
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