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Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Bad tastes
9 comments:
- Sophie Littlefield said...
wow. you make me want to put this in my research library. i need another such book like a hole in the head (ha!) but I keep thinking it could make for much richer 2ndary characters
- September 21, 2010 at 7:06 AM
- Rebecca Cantrell said...
I want to buy a DSM now! It sounds so delicious.
Thanks for the great post, Josh!
Enjoy the bouncing!
- September 21, 2010 at 10:06 AM
- Joshua Corin said...
Sophie & Becky, it's a really helpful reference book for cracking those crackhead secondary characters...but be warned: you will begin to start diagnosing yourself with all sorts of funny ailments...
- September 21, 2010 at 1:31 PM
- Gabi said...
I'm so glad you're not a premature manifester.
- September 21, 2010 at 4:03 PM
- Rebecca Cantrell said...
Gabi, he SAYS he's not a premature manifester. But only his editor knows for sure.
- September 21, 2010 at 8:55 PM
- Gabi said...
You are absolutely correct. We won't KNOW unless we KNOW. And if we did KNOW, we'd hardly be likely to go blabbing around town although I will naturally expect you to tell me.
- September 21, 2010 at 10:12 PM
- Joshua Corin said...
All rumors of my premature manifestation have been greatly exaggerated...because size does not matter.
- September 22, 2010 at 3:23 AM
- Shane Gericke said...
Sounds like some great bedtime reading, Josh, that DSM.
But for the love of god, don't mention premature manifesting to anyone else. Glaxo and Pfizer might hear and create a whole new ad campaign starring a gecko humping a weird insurance woman in two bathtubs: "Manifesting early? Buy PRENO and slow till you're sho ..." Then stuff it into every nook and cranny of Law & Order, the nightly news, and reruns of Matlock till we scream for relief. Whereupon there will be another drug ...
- September 22, 2010 at 8:15 AM
- Gabi said...
You might want to add 'delusional disorder' if you think that size doesn't matter. Or histrionic personality disorder for buying into that myth from the locker room. Let me tell you, the story in the women's changing room is totally different.
- September 22, 2010 at 8:23 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Archive for November 2009
PhoneGap Mobile Spec tests on iPhone
Fil who has been working on the Mobile Spec came over and we tested the mobile spec on the current (EDGE) version of iPhone PhoneGap, and the tests look pretty sweet (see video).
It was pretty easy, I created a new Phonegap-based Application from the Xcode template, plopped in the contents of the Mobile Spec, and just ran the app in the iPhone Simulator. In this session, we see that iPhone PhoneGap passes 51 out of 64 tests, for a 79% pass rate.
Contributing to iPhone PhoneGap – Part 1
[update: do not modify the core, instead create a plugin and add it into your app project. See PhoneGap Plugins for examples]
There has been a major re-factoring of the iPhone PhoneGap codebase, to better enable users to get a current version of PhoneGap to use in their projects without mucking about in the core PhoneGap code.
You can view the code here: http://github.com/phonegap/phonegap-iphone
The README has more details, and I will elaborate on it more here, especially on how contributors can add to the code.
PhoneGapLib/javascripts/core This is where you will add/modify your javascript code for PhoneGap core. You can add more javascript files here, but make sure you update the "PhoneGapLib/Makefile" file to include the newly added javascript file. For adding the file in the Makefile, the pattern should be obvious.
PhoneGapLib/Classes This is where you will add/modify your Objective-C code for PhoneGap core. You can add more Objective-C files here, but make sure you add it to the PhoneGapLib Xcode project also.
PhoneGapLib/javascripts/phonegap.js This is dynamically generated, and is generated whenever PhoneGapLib is built. You can update this file by running "make" in the PhoneGapLib folder, but generally it should be called in your application that includes PhoneGapLib (which the PhoneGap-based Application Xcode template does).
I will walk you through how to add a new command, by adding Application Preferences support. Download the files here.
@interface Preferences : PhoneGapCommand { } - (void) boolForKey:(NSMutableArray*)arguments withDict:(NSMutableDictionary*)options; // other functions here @end
Note that the class inherits from PhoneGapCommand. The class name you use here is important, since you will be referring to it in javascript.
To 'expose' a function to javascript, it must have the signature from the example 'boolForKey' method above (first argument is a NSMutableArray, the second argument is a NSMutableDictionary).
Let's now look at the javascript command to access the function above.
function PreferencesManager() { } var g_Preferences = new PreferencesManager(); PreferencesManager.sharedPreferences = function() { return g_Preferences; } PreferencesManager.prototype.boolForKey = function(key, callback) { PhoneGap .exec("Preferences.boolForKey", key, GetFunctionName(callback)); }
The important line is the "PhoneGap.exec" line. The first argument to PhoneGap.exec is in the form of [className].[methodName] (refer to Preferences.h to see the corresponding function which should be obvious). The next arguments to PhoneGap.exec are two strings, which will be passed into the "boolForKey" method in the NSMutableArray which is the first argument. If an object (json object) is passed in as an argument to PhoneGap.exec, that data will be passed into the "boolForKey" method in the NSMutableDictionary which is the second argument.
- (void) boolForKey:(NSMutableArray*)arguments withDict:(NSMutableDictionary*)options { NSUInteger argc = [arguments count]; if (argc > 2) { // no key and/or callback - just return, no point in continuing return; } NSString* key = [arguments objectAtIndex:0]; NSString* callback = [arguments objectAtIndex:1]; NSUserDefaults *userDefaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults]; BOOL value = [userDefaults boolForKey:key]; NSString* retVal = value ? @"true" : @"false"; NSString* jsString = [[NSString alloc] initWithFormat:@"%@('%@', %@);", callback, key, retVal]; [webView stringByEvaluatingJavaScriptFromString:jsString]; [jsString release]; }
In the command itself, you can parse the arguments and options, and do whatever you need to do for your command. You can optionally write javascript back, using the method above, or the helper:
[super writeJavascript:@"alert('foo')"]
Don't forget to add a Settings bundle file to your app as well.
Next: Adding your code to PhoneGapLib.


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Hey. That's my car. Bet you didn't know it had a rotary engine. ROTARY ENGINE. TRIANGLES.
The latest Regular Car Reviews gives us insight into Mazda's most complicated and misunderstood car, the RX-8.
Insurance premiums are super low because it has a tiny rotary engine and four doors. Gas prices are high because it needs 91 octane fuel and the engine will expire after 80,000 miles. It's a car of compromise. A high revving rotary compromise.
And triangles. It's a car of triangles.


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As Libya's revolutionary regime prepares for a military assault on three towns still controlled by Muammar Qaddafi loyalists, NATO aircraft backing the new authorities aren't just destroying missiles and tanks.
They're also firing leaflets – and targeting in particular the African-origin units thought to comprise much of his military force.
Mercenaries and other non-Libyan born troops may constitute the majority of the loyalist forces still in control of Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli, where a military move is likely any day, Col. Omar Ahmed Bani, the rebel military force's spokesman told McClatchy Monday. Foreign-born fighters, many of whom have become naturalized, also are thought to dominate the forces in Sirte, Qaddafi's birthplace on the Mediterranean coast, and in Sabha, deep in the Sahara desert.
One NATO leaflet directed at non-Libyans features a full color picture of a burning one dinar note, with Qaddafi's face on it. The caption reads in Arabic: "Non-Libyan fighters. This is the only money you will receive for continuing to endanger Libyan civilians!"
It adds: "You have been involved in violent acts against innocent Libyan civilians. NATO has the means and the capabilities to implement the UN mandate to protect civilians and civilian populated areas. NATO is determined to use its capabilities against any threat. Leave this country now."
Another leaflet features a picture of a helicopter gunship having blown up what appears to be an arms depot and states: "There is no place to hide. It is not too late to walk away from the fighting. If you continue to threaten civilians you will face destruction."
US, British, French and other allied aircraft taking part in NATO operations drop leaflets every couple of days and put out radio broadcasts in what is known in military jargon as "non-kinetic activities."
"If they don't get the message, we go to other means," said Col. Roland Lavoie, spokesman for the NATO military operation in Naples.
On Sunday, those other means included bombing a military storage facility in Sirte, multiple rocket launchers, heavy guns and missile batteries. He said a warehouse and command-and-control node were destroyed in Sabha, and over a dozen surface-to-air missiles, three anti-aircraft pieces and other heavy weapons were destroyed in small towns and oases between Bani Walid and Sabha, believed to be the escape route for Gadhafi and three of his sons.
Although NATO cannot prove causality, its leafleting may be having an impact. In Bani Walid, where negotiations for a peaceful takeover by the new regime's forces broke down over the weekend, "we don't believe there is a huge mercenary presence," and the entry of forces of the National Transitional Council need not be a bloody confrontation, Lavoie said. He said in other towns, NATO and the council had observed the departure of large numbers of non-Libyan born loyalists.
For one thing, they apparently aren't being paid any longer, he said.
In Sirte, NATO reconnaissance has observed a growing number of tents on land east of the city, set up in a manner that suggests the denizens are townspeople trying to escape a possible military assault when the council's latest ultimatum runs out Saturday.
While council officials have said repeatedly that they want to avoid further bloodshed, it's not clear how that can be achieved unless Qaddafi has fled the country, and the word gets to his loyalists. In his last recorded audio address Thursday on a Syrian television channel, the ousted leader urged fighters to carry on even if they don't hear a further message from him.
Qaddafi's whereabouts are unknown, but council sources in Niger, a poor, landlocked country to the south of Libya, reported Monday that an advance party, including a high intelligence official, had arrived in the country with a cargo of gold and cash, "and are preparing a place for the tyrant," spokesman Bani said. He predicted that Qaddafi would not stay long in Niger but flee to another country.
Qaddafi's final fire-breathing message ironically provided NATO with the rationale to carry on with its mission. Its stated goals are to destroy the military capability of loyalist forces to give orders, to menace NATO or other aircraft or to endanger the civilian population, alliance spokesman Lavoie said.
"If Libya goes up in flames, who will be able to govern it? Let it burn," Qaddafi said.
"We will fight in every valley, in every street, in every oasis and every town," Qaddafi said in the audio recording carried by Rai television. "We won't surrender again. We are not women. We will keep fighting."
With surface-to-air missiles in their control, Qaddafi loyalists are a threat to air traffic, including humanitarian aid, and other heavy arms, having already been used against civilians, threaten the noncombatant population, Lavoie said.
"He has clearly expressed his intent," Lavoie said. "He has the [military] assets to translate that intent into very nasty acts."


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Call for evidence on a Third Party Ban by Micheal Gove
After many lengthy meetings with Micheal Gove we are delighted to see him launch a 'call for evidence' on banning Third party puppy sales. A ban on third party puppy sales is to be explored by the government as part of a package of
reforms to drive up animal welfare standards, the Environment Secretary Michael Gove has announced today. This would mean anyone looking to buy or adopt a dog will either deal directly with the breeder or with one of the nation's many animal rehousing centres.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:
We need to do everything we can to make sure the nation's much loved pets get the right start in life. From banning the sale of underage puppies to tackling the breeding of dogs with severe genetic disorders, we are cracking down on sellers who have a total disregard for their dogs' welfare.
This is a further step to raise the bar on animal welfare standards. We are also introducing mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses and increasing maximum prison sentences tenfold for animal abusers.
The legislation being put before parliament today will come into force later this year, including:
• Banning licensed sellers from dealing in puppies and kittens under the age of eight weeks;
• Ensuring that licensed dog breeders show puppies alongside their mother before a sale is made;
• Tackling the sale of weak underage puppies and the breeding of unhealthy dogs and dogs with severe genetic disorders;
• Introducing compulsory licensing for anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs;
• Requiring puppy sales to be completed in the presence of the new owner, preventing online sales where prospective buyers have not seen the animal first;
• Insisting licensed dog breeders can only sell puppies they have bred themselves.
Click here to complete the consultation
COMPLETE NOW - CONSULTATION CLOSES at 11:45pm on 2 May 2018


text: Ethics Committee HSG The Ethics Committee assesses ethical and legal aspects of research conducted by employees of the University of St.Gallen. The Ethics Committee is responsible for research which does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Law on Human Research of 30 September 2011 or the Stem Cell Research Law of 19 December 2003. The Ethics Committee consists of a minimum of five members selected from amongst the full professors (including the Vice President Research) as well as a representative from the mid‐level faculty and a corresponding number of deputies. The Committee includes experts in jurisprudence and ethics. The ongoing business of the Ethics Committee is managed by the Chair of the Committee (Prof. Dr. Torsten Tomczak) and the Committee's Offices. Before commencing any research project, the Ethics Committee of the University of St.Gallen should be consulted in the following cases (and, if necessary, an assessment should be obtained from the Committee): a) Research involving the examination of individuals, entailing risks to health or mental strain; which may trigger strong negative emotions (e.g. disgust, anger, fear); in which student participants are discriminated against on the basis of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political views; in which test subjects are required to recount traumatic experiences; in which student participants' self‐perception is severely questioned through manipulation; involving minors; in which participants are knowingly misled; which is ethically problematic for other reasons. b) Research involving data relating to individuals or organisations. c) Research which endangers animal welfare. d) Research that can harm the well-being of uninvolved third parties. Regardless of the Ethics Committee's assessment, the scientists shall always remain responsible for their own actions. In addition to the regulations imposed by the federal and cantonal governments, the pertinent codes of conduct and scientific standards shall also apply. The Ethics Committee takes all pertinent national and international recommendations into consideration.


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Last night my wife and I went to the Toronto Ontario Temple and saw the new temple video. Overall we were very impressed. Here are a few random thoughts/observations:
- The creation scenes are beautiful
- Most of the additional length is in the video presentation, so it doesn't really feel like the session is 15 minutes longer
- One of the actors/characters sounded like (and even kind of looked like) Elder Hales
- There is a lot more emotion shown in the Garden of Eden scenes. I have no problem with this, but it is different from the way it used to be. I need to ponder about what this means
- There are a couple of scenes where it is obvious that a character is in front of a "green screen". If I thought it was that noticeable now, what will we think in 5-10 years when the video is still being used…
- I thought the way Satan was portrayed was very effective. He seems particularly manipulative
- As others have commented, it doesn't seem like there are any wording changes
I've read all sorts of comments online on other sites… some are complaining about the acting, some are complaining about the music, and some are complaining about the cinematography. I have to admit that I probably didn't get as much out of the session last night as I would have normally, as I was absorbing all of the new changes. But overall I quite liked it and I'm looking forward to going back again so I can focus on the spiritual side of things.


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
welshwytch <violette at vasilisa.com> wrote: >I am pretty aggravated by the breakdown of scientific decision >making in this country regarding the medical uses of marijuana. >They are pushing massive trials of their favorite candidate for >anti-emetic and anti-wasting therapy. > >It is a medicine familiar to Americans, it is called THALIDOMIDE >and in their rush to get thalidomide-based trials going, >they have short-circuited all normal regulations for using >this horrifically dangerous substance. some other rather emotional material deleted Thalidomide is not a "horrifically dangerous" substance. It is actually rather harmless, if not given to pregnant women (and AIDS patients should not become pregnant for a variety of reasons). Additionally, it is only one stereoisomer of Thalidomide that causes birth defects, and that is the medically ineffective one. If only the effective stereoisomer is produced (and chemists are able to do that nowadays) it could, at least in theory, be given even to pregnant women. By the way, this substance has been in use for some time now, for example for the treatment of Mycobacterium leprae infections. On the other hand we have considerable problems in our society with addictive drugs. Amplifying those by creating a legal market for jet another one of them should be considered only in dire emergency, if all other options are exausted. Opiates and benzodiazepines show how easy it is to divert such substances from legal to illegal use. And cannabis IS an addictive drug, contrary to the long disproved claims of its proponents. It can cause psychological dependency in "normal", and physical dependency in very high doses. I realise of course that the neurological effects of cannabis may make it subjectively easier for the AIDS patient to cope with his/her disease. However, I think it better to help them to cope with their problems without the use of such drugs, rather then just cover them up.


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My Assistant
Custom Search
Scraping Youtube, Access 2010
Oct 9 2019, 09:41 PM
Posts: 486
Joined: 5-July 01
From: Glasgow, Scotland
Does anybody have any website scraping examples for YouTube. Id like to be able to do a search e.g. Dog and get the returned video descriptions and video ID. To a table (or spreadsheet)
Oct 9 2019, 10:36 PM
UA Moderator
Posts: 78,479
Joined: 19-June 07
From: SunnySandyEggo
Hi John. I don't but maybe you could start here.
Just my 2 cents... "And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know" - Kansas
Access Website | Access Blog | Email
Custom Search
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|10th July 2020 - 11:03 AM


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Nice to read that a S'porean is going to be head of UBS here. UBS Bank has appointed Mr Edmund Koh as its Singapore country head and CEO of its Singapore wealth management division. He will also become a member of the UBS Global Wealth Management Executive Committee. He assumes his responsibilities at the bank early next year.
For all its investment bank problems, UBS' wealth management business is second to none internationally, and in Asia. In Asia, HK and S'pore are the two crown jewels in UBS' wealth mgt division.
Mr Koh was until recently the president of Ta Chong Bank in Taiwan. He was reorganising the bank for US private equity group, Carlyle. He was once head of regional consumer banking group at DBS Bank's consumer lending business in Asia and the CEO of Prudential Assurance Company here.
A few years ago, there were stories that Edmund Koh tried, but failed to become a PAP candidate MP.
So with parly opening tomorrow, I tot it was a suitable time to remind S'poreans of these rumours. In the new batch of MPs, we got "I didn't do NS" Puthucheary, and "I don't know what to say" Tin. Give me an Edmund Koh anytime over people like Puthucheary and Tin.
Having said that, I must say I'm getting gd vibes abt "Kee Chiu" Chan. He is talking the talk at the Ministry for Community Development, Youth and Sports when it comes to welfare. He is also walking the walk. I understand the MCYS homepage has been revamped and now lists all the welfare schemes http://app1.mcys.gov.sg/Assistance.aspx?tid=115 . The absence of this list previously gave rise to suspicious abt whether the government wanted to make it difficult to get welfare.
I didn't have a gd impression of him because of his comments on the Internet, his speech abt the Chinese miners' republic, and his behaviour when the PAP was caught busing supporters to a rally. But if he continues what he is saying and doing abt welfare, I'll say "Kee Chiu Hoy Say leh"


text:
From the Family Tree Maker Knowledge Base Website:
Please go to the Knowledge Base website at
and enter 5238 in the Search Support box on that page.
What new features are available in Family Tree Maker 2011?
ANSWERFamily Tree Maker 2011 includes more than 100 enhancements for discovering, preserving, and sharing your family story! Many of the new features are listed below, and a PDF of the new features can be found by clicking here.
Smart Stories
New Narrative Tool
Ready to start an ancestor's story? The Smart Story Editor makes it easy by letting you drag-and-drop text and photos from your tree into a Smart Stories page. Stories update automatically when you change facts in your tree.
Fan Charts
Choose between five different shapes when creating a fan chart.
Photos & Embellishments
Enhance charts with the backgrounds, borders and embellishments that come with Family Tree Maker, and use photos wherever you like. Font size, type and color can be changed based on fact types.
Bow Tie Chart
Siblings can be included in the Bow Tie Chart.
Last Generation Shown Vertically
In descendant and hourglass charts, the last generation in the chart can be displayed vertically.
Pedigree Chart
The book layout for the pedigree chart has been adjusted to make better use of space.
Surname Report
The new Surname Report lists the surnames in your tree, including the total number of individuals with that surname, the number of males and females with that surname, etc.
New Descendant Report
Family Tree Maker now gives you four descendant report options: Register, NGSQ, Henry, and d'Aboville.
Custom Report
The custom report now has user-selected primary and secondary sorts. In addition, new options allow you to include age at death, number of children, age at first marriage, and more.
Kinship Report
You can now sort the Kinship Report by relationship (for example, first cousins can be grouped together).
You can create a simple bibliography of source titles or an annotated bibliography that includes summary information, such as repository and reference notes.
Report Headers & Footers
You can define the headers and footers for a report.
Save Report Settings
You can save the current report settings and use them as the preferred settings for that report.
Photo Albums
You can now create an album for a person, relationship, or both.
You can now choose to display death dates in the calendar.
Ancestry.com Integration
Expanded Web Dashboard
The expanded Web Dashboard now includes Member Connect activity, links to message boards, and notification of new
Ancestry messages.
Enhanced Performance
You can choose the type of Internet connection you're using, which allows Family Tree Maker to tailor how it downloads information from the Web. Uploading and downloading speeds have been improved, and there is increased ability to upload large files to Ancestry.com.
Enhanced Index of Individuals
The Index now displays people based on name and then birth date.
Historical Timelines
Now you can edit, delete, and add to the historical events that come with Family Tree Maker. In addition, Family Tree Maker looks at facts entered for an individual and displays the most location-appropriate historical events.
Place Enhancements
You can now choose a "home" country, and Family Tree Maker will not display this country in fields, charts and reports. Support for townships, parishes, and counties has also been enhanced.
LDS Information
Family Tree Maker can now display information on initiatories and confirmations. These facts can also be included in charts.
Data Entry
Automatic Reference Numbers
Family Tree Maker can now assign reference numbers automatically to individuals, relationships, or both.
Duplicate Person Alert
When you enter new individuals, Family Tree Maker alerts you if it believes you may already have the individual in your tree.
Locate Missing Files
If you've moved your media items and Family Tree Maker has marked them as "missing," the Find Missing Media tool can locate them all at once.
You can now assign categories to multiple items at one time.
Media Metadata Stored in Family Tree Maker
If your images contain metadata, the information will be stored -- and a caption, date, or description, will be automatically entered.
Copyright © 2010 by H R Worthington


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India is as diverse as its cacophony of clatter, smorgasbord of scents and menagerie of masses. From sadhus to shrines, and from history to heritage; there is no place quite as enriching and epiphanising as this country. After having planned our trip for nearly 2 years, each time in vain and limited by the seasonality of the country, my husband and I were ecstatic when we confirmed our trip, as it dawned on us that we were finally setting foot on our ancient motherland. I couldn't wait to see and experience the country that gave us logic and philosophy, and numerals and the decimal system.
One of my first observations of India was the traffic chaos: there is no place quite like it! Everything from cars to cows clamour for rights of way on the roads, there is incessant blaring of horns and traffic using the wrong side of the roads. Yet, despite the madness and seemingly blatant disregard for conventional traffic rules as we know it, there is a sense of order and respect for one another on the road. I did not witness a single accident, nor flaring of emotions while I was there. In fact on one occasion, a naked, destitute child who was no more than 3 years old ran across the busy road in Delhi, instigating the blaring of horns and screeching brakes, but miraculously no one hit him! I was told by my tour guide you need three things to be able to drive in India: good horn, good brakes and good luck! So true!
On our first day in Delhi we went to Chandni Chowk, a bazaar in Old Delhi that houses a host of shops selling clothes and jewellery, spices and all just about everything under the sun. We went around Chandni Chowk on a rickshaw after being told that is one of the best ways to see the bazaar. I remember turning wide-eyed with apprehension to my husband when the rickshaw driver pulled up in his old, tattered rickshaw: surely it wasn't safe to sit on the rickshaw, as it looked like it was going to fall apart any minute? He convinced me to get on it after much cajoling and I was so glad I did it! It was an amazing experience riding through the streets and alleyways, seeing the true Delhi with all its charm and idiosyncrasies. I got off the rickshaw feeling reborn, for I felt like I had cheated death and come off miraculously unscathed!
On our second day in Delhi, we went to Gandhi Smriti – the place where Mahatma Gandhi spent his last 144 days – and was assassinated. The building, courtyards and garden oozed simplicity, a testament to the modest and unworldly lifestyle Gandhi led during his life. Biographies of his life and quotes by Mahatma filled the corridor leading to the place where he was assassinated, where a shrine-like structure has been erected in his memory. One quote that particularly touched me was Mahatma affirming "Even if I am killed, I will not stop repeating the names of Rama and Rahim, which mean to me the same God. With these names on my lips, I will die cheerfully." It almost seems like he had a premonition of what was to come as his last words were "Hey Ram!" (Oh God). Many a times I felt like a hypocrite in this place. There I was, claiming to revere him as the greatest soul to have lived on Earth, the closest a mortal has come to being immortal; and yet there was not a single principle of his that I was following. He practiced simplicity, while I wandered around snapping photos with my expensive DSLR, he preached non-violence, whereas I could not give up meat for a single day, he put aside his whole life and fought for justice, whereas I have forsaken my birth country with the excuse the politics are ruining it; his existence brought freedom to the whole nation whereas I am a self-absorbed human being whose existence, come to think of it, does not really benefit anyone but myself in my quest for worldly pleasures. What right did I have to call this Great Soul my biggest hero and inspiration?
A few days later we were in Jaipur. We visited the City Palace and Jantar Mantar on the first afternoon with one of the best guides we have ever had. Nidhi Mishra was a minefield of knowledge and gave us an excellent narrative as we walked around these places. The theme of the tour seemed to be that 'there is a reason for everything', as Nidhi so eloquently put. I was reminded that ignorance is the main impediment to understanding the cultures and practices of another. Many a times we scoff at other cultures, but when we hear an explanation it immediately banishes our prejudices and we grow to understand or accept why things are or were done in a certain way. For instance, to the undiscerning eyes, the low entrances in and around the medieval castles and palaces in India would have suggested that Indians were short people. However this impression would have changed upon learning that the low entrances were an ingenious tactic to ensure that adversaries who attempt to invade the castle would need to bow their heads to enter the castle and this gave the guards ample time to behead their enemies. Why did Indian men have so many wives in the pre-British era? It had nothing to do with Hinduism and everything to do with a culture that was spread by invading rulers: it was a way for them to spread their domination, and slowly over the years this culture became embedded among the society.
Our next stop was Agra. Who could resist a trip to India without seeing the enigmatic, resplendent Taj Mahal! We saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise and it was breath-taking to say the least. Despite the crowds it exuded a kind of serenity usually reserved for holy places. Then again, one might argue that a monument of love is also an embodiment of divinity and godliness. We spotted some stray dogs playfully wrestling each other and I joked that even the dogs were feeling the vibrations of love at the Taj Mahal!
We took the overnight train from Agra to Varanasi which was an amazing experience in itself. I was awake by 5 a.m. and stared out the window the whole time while the train traversed the countryside. The view of wheat fields was interspersed with tiny villages and level crossings at small towns. These were places modernisation had not placed its indelible and irreversible mark yet – the mark of homogeneity both in infrastructure and lifestyles – and I noticed that people were still at one with the elements. Some men gathered around water pumps, brushing their teeth with twigs while others squatted in the open fields to empty their bowels! Well I guess the latter is not really a sign of a lack of modernisation since men in modernised places do relieve themselves in public places, but you catch my drift! (pun unintended!)
Varanasi's main attraction are the ghats by the Ganges. The Ganges is truly the lifeblood of India: from birth to death and the life in between, everything centres around the river. Hindus celebrate births in the family by offering thanksgiving prayers at the river and they mourn death by cremating their loved ones by the funeral ghat. Hindus believe that the dead will achieve moksha or liberation from reincarnation when their ashes are strewn in the Ganges. Never have I experienced an atmosphere quite like this: children played cricket, sadhus relaxed on the steps and devotees submerged themselves in the river. People congregated to participate in the evening Aarti or prayer ceremony in one corner and boatsmen were busy in another corner building a boat. People from all walks of life converged in this place.
On our second day in Varanasi, we visited the Bharat Mata temple. Unlike all other temples that are dedicated to the worship of God, this temple was devoid of any deities or priests. Instead, there was a map of India, carved out of brass on the ground. This ancient temple was built before the partition of India and Pakistan, and even Sri Lanka and hence included all these countries on the map. I don't think this temple was built to invoke patriotism among Indians, instead it was to revere the great land that has over thousands of years served as a birthplace to some and provided refuge to others. For some reason it made perfect sense. Why can't we revere India or any other nation in a temple? Afterall, does our country not provide for us on the ground the same way our Heavenly Father watches us from above?
We returned with a heavy heart from Varanasi to Delhi knowing that our trip was coming to an end. After two more days in Delhi, we boarded the plane back home. I have never felt such reluctance to return from my holidays: usually it is just the thought of going back to work but this time, I was filled with emotions of having to leave my motherland and its wonderful and colourful people.
These 10 days in India have moved me in ways no other country or people have. I have been reminded of how fortunate I am to have a roof over my head, food on my table and an education that has given me a good job, which in turn has enabled me to fulfill my basic necessities and luxuries. I have also started questioning myself: what have I done to help another human being? How has my existence benefited anyone else? What is the legacy I want to leave behind?
I went to India intending to sight-see and quench my photographic thirst, but instead returned from my ancient homeland having experienced a multitude of emotions and growing spiritually. I cannot wait to return to India to take in the sights and be among its wonderful people. In the words of Caroline Quentin, my love for India is not a short romance, but I think it is going to be a lifetime affair.


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"She Hesitates" or a notion…dedicated to Xineann……whom I admire…and will never meet….
And fields are set ablaze, ashen air enough for firm distrust
Of voices so in harmony that something greater–smoke of lust,
Perhaps–makes cannon law
of fundamental truths abused as instrumental sports
That lead the populace to rallies and the mob to violence and hate,
The bailiwick of dark and stranger fruit;
neighbours seen as furniture
Within the garden; tables, chairs, and fine manure
For the flora to an end expressing nothing but itself. She may be late
In joining, friends, but she's got solid reasons
For her reticence: So many voices can't be right!
They say there's truth in numbers, yes? The flight
From those few souls who've passed their seasons
Patiently may well have penned the word,
But broadcast and by distances alone, they're never really heard.
You asked me why it was I stood there saying
Nothing, and it's true, I might have made
A difference with a word or two. It was a trade,
You know–the moment for eternity–the laying
Of a track to future nothings, sweet and supple
In themselves, but not at all a match: I fear
For what I saw just now And you would steer
The conversation toward the obvious, the couple
In the restaurant window dining in the comfort
Of the moment, thinking nothing, doing nothing.
I might have seen it coming, fluffing
Pillows, nonchalantly pulling covers down, the effort,
Minor, meanings so innocuous with both our souls
On fire. So simple, then, so bitter, blue and cold.
Tonight, a window, yesterday a wall,
And tomorrow is not with us now;
We seek dissembling, signs to brows,
Mild salutes to those who call
For gentile willingness, who see the dawn in early light
And come away with knowing smiles, and even laughter
In the brief exchange, yes. At best, a hesitation after
Gilded intimacies have seasoned action: "Is it right?"
Should I have asked the question then and there and leaned
A little as we veered so far from middles to the open road?
There are so many, here, you know! So great the load
And watermark of birth in thinking on the chasm between
Desire and finer laws of gravitas, the will that conquers all remorse:
No need for lubricants for flaccid passion while all the soul requires
is common sense and oceans of the heart's delight to hold its course.


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When the Two-Dollar Cocktail was so named, over a half century ago, the amount of cash in question was a substantial sum. The French brandy — Cognac, if you like — certainly contributes to its value.
- Yield
Makes 1 drink.
- ice cubes
- 1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) French brandy
- 1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) Curaçao
- a lemon twist for garnish if desired
- In a cocktail shaker half-filled with the ice combine the brandy and the Curaçao and shake the mixture for 30 seconds. Pour or strain the drink into a tall glass, add more ice, and garnish the drink with the lemon twist.


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Archive for Tuesday, February 12, 2008
New federal prison would mean boost to area's economy
President's budget includes funds to study site in Leavenworth
February 12, 2008
Anticipated construction of a new medium-security federal prison in Leavenworth would be welcome news for the area as the economy continues to slow.
"We're talking millions and millions of dollars in expenditures, in construction," said Charlie Gregor, executive vice president for the Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce. "This would be for several years, tying up almost all the local contractors with various contracts: concrete, carpenters, wood framing.
"There's so much that goes into this thing. It's not like building a big apartment house."
The project would operate alongside the existing U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, the place built in the early 1900s and that for years operated as a maximum-security prison, holding the likes of George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Stroud, who later would become known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz." Today, it's being used for medium-security inmates.
Project in budget
Planning for the approximately $300 million new prison already is getting a boost. In his proposed federal budget for the 2009 fiscal year, President Bush has included $1.4 million for construction planning, such as conducting research and field tests to ensure that a site near the existing prison would work. The entire process - from planning to completion - could take up to six years, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Plans call for a new prison big enough for more than 1,100 male inmates, plus 250 employees. Building in Leavenworth - where the Bureau of Prisons has about 1,500 acres of land - would allow the bureau to share costs between two prisons.
Even better, Gregor said, it would give the Leavenworth area more federal employees, which would boost security for families, contractors and businesses who have come to rely on the steadfast economic underpinnings of operations backed by the federal government.
Federal corrections officers earned a starting salary of $28,862 last year.
"These are jobs that are good-paying, solid jobs that have all the best benefits and retirement and all that," Gregor said. "We have over 400 of those now with the federal prison, and we like those."
The U.S. military already is building a new disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth, which will bring another 400 military personnel to town, who will be likely candidates to stay in the area upon leaving the service, Gregor said.
"This will provide a source for talented and trained - by most standards, very, very well-trained - military police to man this (new medium-security) institution," Gregor said. "Over time, I think most of the employees will be strictly local."
Widespread benefits
A new federal prison would give the Leavenworth economy and, to a lesser extent, surrounding communities a major infusion of federal funds and the spending they would spur, said Dan Rowe, a principal who leads the justice group for Lawrence-based Treanor Architects. The firm has designed jails in the region, including the Douglas County Jail in southeast Lawrence and a new $60 million addition to an adult detention center in Johnson County.
The anticipated project cost for Leavenworth - $274 million to $298 million, according to the Bureau of Prisons - doesn't include all the spending by contractors who would come to town to eat lunch, stay in hotels, buy materials and complete other transactions that would make a major project even better for the community's bottom line.
"We've seen orders of magnitude two to three times the size of the construction budget," said Rowe, who confirmed that Treanor would be interested in seeking design work on the project. "It wouldn't be unusual for this to have a major impact on the area."
Greg Nook could see why.
Nook, executive vice president for J.E. Dunn in Kansas City, Mo., said that 98 percent of the $297 million construction budget his company had for a new IRS center in Kansas City went to contractors and subcontractors.
At least 90 percent of a prison project's construction value would be expected to go to subcontractors, he said.
"It's at least that much," Nook said.
And don't forget: The federal government - whether it's the IRS, the U.S. military or the U.S. Bureau of Prisons - boasts a strong record of paying its bills, which would be no small matter in times of economic volatility.
"It is a real trustworthy credit client," Nook said.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
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I've read through the comments here and found some interesting tips. The way I have my scrapping stuff organized is
1) Store/website folder
2) Designer subfolder
3) Kit Name (subfolder)
4) loose elements
5) papers
6) embellishments
I use a little free program called IrfanView (windows only) and it is an excellent tool for viewing your images. I found that a lot of times, not all file thumbnail previews are available, but with this program you can install plugins that allow you to have previews for almost every file type out there. I also use .svg and .dxf files for my Craft Robo and couldn't get previews of these files and I also couldn't get previews of PaintShop Pro files, but can with this program. I'm also able to edit images, batch process (batch rename, resize, etc) with this program. But in my opinion, having a preview of all the different file types is a big help. Another thing I like is that I can create contact sheets of my folders and use that as the folder image if there isn't a kit preview. One more thing, IrfanView will also do face detection, but I haven't used it.
Many of you mention using separate programs for batch renaming. I'm pretty sure most of your typical graphics programs can do this already without using another program. I know for certain that Photoshop (through Bridge) and PaintShop Pro will do batch processing. I'm pretty sure that PSE did (when I was using ver 2.0) too.
ETA: I found this list that shows you all the file types IrfanView will show previews for. You can also edit a lot of the common image types with IrfanView. Here's the link: http://www.irfanview.com/main_formats.htm


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Yesterday Lily and I spent most of the day running around outside. The other part of the day we took naps. We like to run really fast outside and frolick through the bushes. Sometimes we wrestle. Sometimes I run so fast and do such crazy maneuvers that I trip and fall a little bit. But I quickly recover and act like nothing happened. Usually I can do wild jumps and twists and turns that you would not expect from a fluffy pup like me.
Lily's hair yesterday was weird. I don't know why that part was sticking up, but it stayed like that most of the day. She's cute still so it's okay.
But let's be honest, she looked like Alfalfa.
This is where Lily and I perch to check for funny business. If you were ever wondering what qualifies as funny business, it's: dogs cats moms dads slugs kids wind squirrels bikers runners humans grandmas and sometimes there's also just far off sounds that might become funny business. Lily and I know when funny business is near. But we take care of it with our fierce barks. Our family is lucky to have us around.
Lily loves running up the stairs.
And this is what our faces look like after a successful day.


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People have a tradition of lining up for new Apple products at its iconic retail stores.
Microsoft has a bad case of Apple envy, opening up its own retail stores and now, with the Friday release of the Surface tablet, its own hardware, too.
Now it wants Apple-like lines at its stores, promising a $100 worth of free music to the first 100 people who line up at each of its stores tomorrow, the Seattle Times reports.
There's one small problem: The Surface already comes with free music. The product being given away, Xbox Music Pass, is a premium subscription with extra features, like downloads and unlimited skipping.
That may dent the line-standers' enthusiasm.


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Ethiopia is a land of plenty with a long and noble history giving rise to ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity. It is the only African country never to have been colonised. It has more than 80 unique rich ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups.
Ethiopia is renowned for its distinctive Christian tradition and association with the Ark of the Covenant. It offers the most dramatic scenery of unsurpassed grandeur (i.e. Simien Mountains National Park), unique rock-hewn churches, the spectacular Blue Nile Falls, the Great Rift Valley, the Danakil Depression, imperial castles, monuments of an ancient civilisation linked with the legend of the Queen of Sheba.
Ethiopian Treasures' overall aim is to provide readers the many varied aspects of Ethiopia. It will, I hope, be a great help to school/college students and travellers, and by using this site readers can either begin to learn and discover Ethiopia, or enhance their knowledge of it.
Ethiopian Treasures also provides an educational web directory called Subject Finder (www.subjectfinder.com) which allows access to high-quality web resources for academics, teachers, lectures, students, researchers and the general public categorised by subject areas across all disciplines. It includes educational information, research resources, tutorials, learning and teaching materials.
An alternative text only version of this website is available to visually impaired and/or dyslexic people. If you would like to access the text version of this site, select the Text Only Version link located at the top right of each page or visit Text Only Version or use the following keyboard shortcut.
- If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer, press ALT+T and then press Enter.
- If you use Mozilla Firefox, press Shift and Alt+T.
- If you use Apple Mac, press Ctrl+T.
Copyright © 2002 - Teum Teklehaimanot. All rights reserved. Copying information and images from this website to another website or Intranet is prohibited. Printed copies of the web pages are permitted as long as the copyright statement is not removed and the information is used for personal and/or educatrional use only. For more details, please see Terms of Use. .


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This an an archived version of the documentation for SonarQube version 4.3 and below.
See https://docs.sonarqube.org/display/SONAR/Documentation for current functionality
When drilling down from the project dashboard, the component viewer is the ultimate place to view detailed information on a given file (or unit test file) on different axes.
Source Code File
When drilling down into measures, you will eventually reach the source code of a file and be able to browse its quality. SonarQube is shipped with 4 default perspectives (Coverage, Duplications, Issues, Source). Depending on the plugins that are installed, other perspectives may be available.
This perspective displays the source code with highlighted syntax as well as the main measures of the file.
To display the new/modified source code or view the last committers, you need to install the SCM Activity Plugin.
Since version 3.6, (on Java files only), usage and declaration of variables and methods are highlighted (limited to class scope). When clicking on a variable or on a method name, it is possible to see its declaration and usage.
- Where in the current file is this variable declared? Where is it used?
- Where in the current file is this method declared? Where is it used?
This perspective displays the source code decorated with information about code coverage (by unit tests and/or integration tests).
In the source code:
- The first column displays the number of unit tests covering the line (available since version 3.5 for Java - requires a specific configuration to mapping unit tests and covered code, was the number of hits by unit tests in versions prior to 3.5)
- The second one displays the number of covered conditions by unit tests out of the total number of conditions to cover
When clicking on a figure displayed in the first column, the unit tests covering this specific line are listed:
When selecting Per test > Covered lines in the second dropdown list, a third dropdown list appears. In this latter list, it is possible to select a specific unit test. Then, only lines covered by this unit test are displayed:
This perspective displays issues directly in the source code.
The issues to display can be filtered by coding rule, severity, etc.
Thanks to the Time changes... list box, you can limit the display to issues that were added in the selected time span. See Differential Views for more information.
A few lines of context are provided around each issue. If necessary, you can display the full source code by ticking the Full source box.
You can directly manage the issues: comment, assign, link to an action plan, etc. See the Issues documentation page for more details.
This perspective displays every duplicated chunk of code. See Duplications for more information.
Unit Test File
When drilling down into unit tests execution measures, you will eventually reach the unit test level.
This perspective displays the source code of the unit test file.
This perspective displays the result of the unit tests belonging to the unit test class. In case of a failure or an error, the reason is displayed:
It is also possible to see the mapping of unit tests and covered code. The objective is to answer the following questions:
- Which files are covered by a given unit test?
- How many lines of code are covered by a given unit test?
- Which lines are covered by a given unit test?
- Which tests cover a given line of code?
This perspective displays issues on unit tests:


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This blog post started out as a response to a private email discussion between me and contributing developer Eric (tssgery) whom recently developed TurnKey Observium, one of TurnKey's top ten downloads. Observium is very popular for a newly hatched appliance. It has the same number of downloads as Redmine, which we've supported for a few years now!
Eric wrote:
TKL has two big issues as I see it:
Marketing. You're the best kept secret of the internet.
Testing. Too many appliance/products to be supported.
TKL has two big issues as I see it:
Building up a proper testing suite can involve a good amount of work, which I'd prefer to avoid because it's boring and I'm lazy.
On the other hand, if I'm not careful, taking shortcuts that save effort in the short run could lead to a massive productivity hit further down the road.
For example, let's say instead of building up a rigorous test suite I test my code manually, and give a lot of careful thought to its correctness.
Right now I think I'm OK. But how long will it stay that way?


text:
Document Actions
What Can You Do With an AFPRL Major?
Major or Double Major in AFPRL
The Department of Africana & Puerto Rican/Latino Studies prepares students for a broad range of careers in the public and private sector; for entrance to professional schools such as law, social work, urban planning and medicine, and for graduate study and research in the social sciences and humanities. The department has a long history of nurturing students' intellectual discipline, creativity, and social and political awareness.
Graduates of the department have pursued careers in journalism, counseling, teaching, public policy, community development, media, politics, psychology and international affairs. The department's interdisciplinary structure offers students an opportunity to satisfy the increasing expectations of admissions committees and prospective employers for a broad liberal arts perspective that complements the specialized knowledge of a field.
Required credits: Major (30 credits), Double Major (30 credits)
For more information:
Contact Prof. Edey-Rhodes


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The borgo of BORGO is listed as one of the "Borghi Più Belli d'Italia" (Italy's most beautiful villages). Below you'll find a map and photos and I'll soon update the page with more useful information including travel advice, places to eat, parking, accommodation and what's close by. If you'd like some advice on visiting Le Marche please write to me, Dion Protani, via firstname.lastname@example.com.
Category: Marche's Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia
Borgo style:
Administrative area:
Close by:
To scroll images either tap/click the main gallery photo and use the arrows or hover over/hold down and scroll the thumbnails on the right.


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... I'll finally post about Halloween.
With Ellie's party consuming the first half of the month, our Halloween crafts and field trip season was cut short, but we did manage a trip to a cute, boutique-laden shopping area called Gardner Village that decorated the grounds with a variety of curiously engaged witches. Unfortunately, it's an outdoor shopping area so our fingers and faces nearly froze, but knowing there was a discounted cookie at the end of our witch scavenger hunt pushed us to our reward.
I didn't get good pictures, but some of the animatronix witches were doing pretty interesting things, like the one biking in the sky you can see in the background. I'm waaaay too cheap to purchase any of the merchandise being sold in such a shopping venue, but I did a whole lot of adorable window shopping.
Halloween afternoon, Kyle helped the kids carve pumpkins.
Erik has recently developed a love for violin-playing and requires only simple props to do so.
We knew the kids would be up late Halloween night, so tried very hard to coerce them into napping. On account of her head full of sponge rollers, Ellie never fell asleep, and this is how she felt about her new hair-do.
And this is how Charlie felt about being ignored all day while I finished up the kids' Halloween costumes (actually I was trying to take a picture of him sleeping in his bumbo-- poor, neglected third child-- but he woke up as I was taking it).
It was hard to get a picture in which Ellie was more than a blur-- she was almost as excited about candy as I was that Erik finally agreed to wear his costume.
Why Mario Bros? When my kids found out Carter and Holden were planning to be Mario and Luigi, they were determined to complete the video game's cast.
Rowan was the star (I've never played it myself, but I believe stars are claimed for temporary invincibility or some other desirable), and Charlie went as Toad.
Mish crocheted the cute turban hat for him.
Erik kept insisting Bowser is an elephant, though I corrected him showing him pictures like this numerous times, and made sure he really was partial to being a fire-breathing turtle/dragon villain for a night. He never entertained the thought of being anything but Bowser for Halloween, though he clearly misunderstood the full commitment...
He was thrilled about it, all the way up until Halloween, at which time he utterly refused to have anything to do with his costume. It wasn't until all the other kids already had lollipops in their mouths that he consented to make his transformation. I threw orange poster paint in his hair and eyebrows while he wasn't looking (though not nearly as much as I'd planned to).
Oh yes, and I had yellow clothes for him to wear under his shell, but given his unpredictable moods, we didn't dare remove his red Incredibles pajamas, which he's been wearing under his clothes (interchangeably with skeleton jammies from his cousins L&L, and sometimes one over the other) daily for several weeks. The other day at the library, he stripped off his sweatshirt and waddled around with his pants around his ankles for the hour or so we were there, unwilling to cover up the Incredibles pajamas under his clothes. We got a lot of bewildered and disapproving looks, but it's truly not worth arguing with this stubborn two-year-old on such trivial matters as wearing pants in public.
Ellie was naturally pleased as punch to be the token female character in the cast of Mario Bros: Princess Peach.
You may notice that Princess Peach doesn't have tight ringlet curls a la Shirley Temple. See, I figured Ellie's hair, being thin and fine like mine, would not hold curl well so would require such a drastic measure to achieve even the subtle waves of Peach's hair. Turns out her hair holds sponge roller curl quite well. In fact, it was still holding attractive curl for church the next day. And was still pretty cute three days later.
When Carter first saw Ellie, he knew exactly what to say: "Ellie, you look so silly.... and beautiful!" We couldn't help but smile as he called her Peach all night, saying things like, "I'll wait for you, Peach" and "I'll hold Peach's hand."
I have to give proper credit to Kjerstin, who made Ellie's dress with her own bare hands, as a birthday gift. She did an incredible job and saved me weeks of stress and further sleep deprivation by taking care of that costume. It is definitely Ellie's prettiest and new favorite dress-up item, and will be for a while, I'm sure.
We wrapped up trick-or-treating when five out of six of our kids were being held, complaining of exhaustion. The weather was, amazingly, not very cold, and it made for a perfectly enjoyable evening. The occasional school-aged child even recognized my children's costumes for what they were! (I mean, only a few young guys recognized Bowser, and though people appreciated Ellie's pretty dress, only video game generation-ers could appreciate how closely she resembled Peach.)
Here they're showing off the pumpkins they designed, with Dorito-stained mouths, the first treat they both chose to open from their goody bags.
After I rinsed that paint out of Erik's scalp and scrubbed the sugar out of the kids' teeth, they were out in a wink and the real partying began! For a celebration at the Paul's, I convinced Kjerstin to fill the role Kyle refused to with me. We were Sick and Tired, cuz that's about how I feel about being sick and tired for the past some odd months.
Somehow Kyle preferred to go as a Libyan capitalist. Yes, everyone thought he was a terrorist.
And as long as we were rejecting political correctness, Mish just plain went as a Mexican. Donning stick-on earrings, Charlie went as her illegitimate child.
We had fun playing games and stuffing ourselves with more sugar even than our kids consumed, including these eyeball doughnuts Kjerst made with Ellie,
and these from-scratch pumpkin pies by Mish.
Delicious, delightful, de-lovely and wonderful Halloween, my best one yet.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Just in time for Thanksgiving...
... I'll finally post about Halloween.
Posted by Kyle at 1:25 PM 6 comments
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Seussmania part III: the rest
Several hours worth of attempts later, inexplicably still can't upload my short video clip of the party ambiance... boo hoo. A few snapshots will have to suffice.
Kjerstin's school and the local library supplemented our Dr. Seuss collection (though we still had nowhere near all 62 of his published books) and it made for some mighty simple and cost-free decor.
I made the birthday banner with paper scraps and the birthday bird I drew on printer papers taped together. Kjerst and I stayed up late one night coloring him in with markers.
Mish made this cute sign for our newest pet, inherited via Emily as a sort of birthday gift for Ellie, although Mish was more than pleased to welcome another reptile into the family.
My other lucky break on party decor was a second-hand Dr. Seuss trivia game I bought at a yard sale months ago (that we've still never played), but even if we never end up playing it, it was still by golly worth the $2 for the sake of this event. I threaded all the big cards together for this garland, and we put up the tiny little book cover cards around the room. Without the game pieces, I would've still decked the room out, but the theme wouldn't have stood out much.
I held the party in early evening so a couple good friends could make it, but I knew this would put a damper on my children's moods (as evenings have since the cessation of afternoon naptime some months ago). Erik is especially affected by the time evening rolls around, when crankiness can escalate into one prolonged tantrum. Soooo, a couple hours before the party started, I sent Kyle off on a drive with the kids (which I figured would knock them out, as it often does). They finally succeeded, but Erik took his nap to the fullest and was out solid until halfway through Ellie's party, when Kjerstin finally went up and revived (and re-dressed) him. I don't think he was fully awake until about when the party ended. Anyway, if we hadn't done what we did, he would've been ACTING a bit too much like Thing 2 instead of just looking like him.
Is anybody out there considering throwing a similarly themed party? If so, don't you dare try to make Cat-in-the-hat tophats as a party favor (especially if your sewing machine breaks a week before the party). I will save you time and sanity by just assuring you it's not worth it. Actually, I could give you the dimensions that, after hours of trial-and-error, produced hats that actually fit on children's heads without swallowing them. Then it might be worth it. But only if you have a Laurisa to lend you a sewing machine and figure out a pattern with you while your six kids wreak havoc on her home, and a Kjerstin who is willing to stay up until the wee hours of the morning whipping them up with you.
And even then, you might have some kids at the party who throw screaming fits refusing to wear them, or even refusing to take them home. So maybe dollar store candy would make a better party favor (we had that, too). (And yes, outsiders attempted to dissuade me from tackling this project many times, but sometimes I refuse to take the easy/sensible way out. I think I learned my lesson. Maybe.)
Apparently the party was not so riveting to some...
At least Rowan appreciated my hard work on those hats. (Haha, pretty pathetic if a baby is really my biggest fan.)
Costumes may seem a bit excessive, but I picked up the shirts/onesie for $1 each at a thrift store and painted them on in under an hour. Nothing like their Halloween costumes...
As for entertainment, we started out with an egg toss. Green eggs, of course. I made the beanbags out of felt scraps.
Then I read them brief excerpts from Horton Hears a Who, just to orient everyone with the look and idea of the pink clovers, and particularly of the pink clover housing the extensive community of Whos that Horton searches for fervently for hours.
Our little Hortons searched for more like 30 seconds for the pink clovers (that we hurriedly scattered while Kyle kept the kids busy in the basement), and even though only one bore the teeny dot that was Whoville, they all found some so everyone was a winner. This was, by a long shot, our most popular game.
This was, by a long shot, our least popular game. What was supposed to happen was the kids put their socks half on and then crawl around pulling each others' socks off in a jovial manner, a la Fox in Socks. What really transpired was the kids put their socks half on and then took turns crying (Ellie started it) when one of their socks got pulled off until everyone was crying or still wearing two socks. Guess I don't know much about kids because it sounded fun to me.
Here's the display table again. I originally wanted to color the party red, pink, and baby blue (the colors from The Cat in the Hat), but ultimately, for such a theme, no less than twenty-three colors would do.
P.S. I stole the cupcake idea from Lindsey at kitchendoughdough.blogspot.com. They were my inspiration for the entire party. Before I discovered these delights, we were planning a fairy princess party. I hope more than just all of Ellie's male friends appreciate the direction we took instead.
Presents! Finally! She did have to wait an extra week after all (since I postponed the party to finish the silly party favor hats I MEAN because of a family emergency), and thanks to our friends' generosity, it was well worth the wait.
And this is about how we all felt at the end of it. Happy, sleepy, and unmotivated to undo any of the party magic we'd slaved to create. And actually I still feel like that, and that's why some of the party decorations still aren't down.
Posted by Kyle at 11:36 PM 8 comments
Labels: Dr. Seuss, Ellie, kid crafts, parties
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Seussmania part II: the feast
Thanks to those who took the time to try out my little quiz. I can finally put that endeavor to rest and get on to reporting more exciting pieces of business, like Halloween, Ellie's first ballet recital, and of course the rest of the Dr. Seuss extravaganza. This post features the menu-- yes, I went a little overboard. In retrospect, I would definitely make less than half of what I did ("I" including my loyal friend and family minions), since again I think most people (all of the kids, for sure) failed to recognize that each dish was calculated for the effect of the theme. Oh well.
Actually, I had a blast reading every Dr. Seuss book I could get my paws on and marking each reference to something edible, and then recreating each dish. I hanged (or is it hung? I can't decide) photocopies of my inspiration above the food table. The house favorites were the hot dogs (they were Hillshire Farm hotdogs, after all) and ABC cookies (props to Aunt C for the cookie cutters).
Happy Birthday to You:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas:
Green Eggs & Ham:
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish:
Fox in Socks:
Dr. Seuss' ABC:
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish:
Oh Say Can You Say:
The Butter Battle Book:
The Cat in the Hat:
Posted by Kyle at 11:27 AM 9 comments


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On December 3, 1875...
Venerable John Henry Newman, C.O., wrote to one of his nephews, John Rickards Mozley. This was the final entry in a series of letters the Venerable wrote to try to answer his nephew's questions about the Church.
Venerable John Henry Newman, C.O., wrote to one of his nephews, John Rickards Mozley. This was the final entry in a series of letters the Venerable wrote to try to answer his nephew's questions about the Church.
Dec. 3, 1875.
Your letter puts me into a great difficulty. It is my heart's desire to bring you nearer to me in opinion, and so to explain my own religious views as to excite in you interest and sympathy for us; to reduce difficulties, and to inspire hope that Catholics and Protestants are not so far apart from each other as is commonly said; in a word, to throw myself into the sentiment which has led you to write, and to co-operate with it. But I cannot feel you have gone to the bottom of the matter, and it would not consist with that truth and frankness due to all men, and especially to one with whom I am so united in affection as yourself, not to say so.
I agree with you, then, but I go far beyond you in holding, that the difference between Catholics and Protestants is an ethical one; for I think that in pure Catholics and pure Protestants (I mean, by so speaking, that most Protestants are tinged with Catholicity, and most Catholics with Protestantism) this difference is radical and immutable, as the natures of an eagle and a horse are, except logically, two things, not one. Opposition to physical science or to social and political progress, on the part of Catholics, is only an accidental and clumsy form in which this vital antagonism energises—a form, to which in its popular dress and shape, my own reason does not respond. I mean, I as little accept the associations and inferences, in which modern science and politics present themselves to the mass of Catholics, as I do those contrary ones, with which the new philosophy is coloured (I should rather say, stained) by great Professors at Belfast and elsewhere.
Dealing with facts, not with imaginations, prejudices, prepossessions, and party watchwords, I consider it historically undeniable—
1. First, that in the time of the early Roman Empire, when Christianity arose, it arose with a certain definite ethical system, which it proclaimed to be all-important, all-necessary for the present and future welfare of the human race, and of every individual member of it, and which is simply ascertainable now and unmistakable.
Next, I have a clear perception, clearer and clearer as my own experience of existing religions increases, and such as every one will share with me, who carefully examines the matter, that this ethical system ([ethos] we used to call it at Oxford as realised in individuals) is the living principle also of present Catholicism, and not of any form of Protestantism whatever—living, both as to its essential life, and also as being its vigorous motive power; both because without it Catholicism would soon go out, and because through it Catholicism makes itself manifest, and is recognised. Outward circumstances or conditions of its presence may change or not; the Pope may be a subject one day, a sovereign another; primus inter pares in early times, the episcopus episcoporum now; there might be no devotions to the Blessed Virgin formerly, they may be superabundant of late; the Holy Eucharist might be a bare commemoration in the first century, and is a sacrifice in the nineteenth (Of course I have my own definite and precise convictions of these points, but they are nothing to the purpose here, when I want to confine myself to patent facts which no one ought to dispute); but I say, even supposing there have been changes in doctrine and polity, still the ethos of the Catholic Church is what it was of old time, and whatever and whoever quarrels with Catholicism now, quarrels virtually, and would have quarrelled, if alive, 1800 years ago, with the Christianity of Apostles and Evangelists.
2. When we go on to inquire what is the ethical character, whether in Catholicity now or in Christianity in its first age, the first point to observe is that it is on all hands acknowledged to be of a character in utter variance with the ethical character of human society at large as we find it at all times. This fact is recognised, I say, by both sides, by the world and by the Church. As to the former of the two, its recognition of this antagonism is distinct and universal. As regards Catholicism, it is the great fact of this very day, as seen in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. On the other hand, we know that in the Apostolic Age Christians were called the "hostes humani generis" (as the Quarterly called Catholics within this two years), and warred against them accordingly.
This antagonism is quite as decidedly acknowledged on the side of the Church, which calls scciety in reprobation "the world," and places "the world" in the number of its three enemies, with the flesh and the devil, and this in her elementary catechisms. In the first centuries her badge and boast was martyrdom; in the fourth, as soon as she was established, her war-cry was, "Athanasius contra mundum"; at a later time her protests took the shape of the Papal theocracy and the dictatus Hildebrandi. In the recent centuries her opposition to the world is symbolised in the history of the Jesuits. Speaking, then, according to that aspect of history which is presented to the eyes of Europeans, I say the Catholic Church is emphatically and singularly, in her relation to human philosophy and statesmanship, as was the Apostolic Church, "the Church militant here on earth."
3. And, what is a remarkable feature in her ethos now and at all times, she wars against the world from love of it. What, indeed, is more characteristic of what is called Romanism now than its combined purpose of opposing yet of proselytising the world?—a combination expressed in our liturgical books by the two senses of the word "conterere," that of grinding down and of bringing to contrition. How strikingly, on the other hand, does this double purpose come out in the Apostles' writings? We have three primitive documents, each quite distinct in character from the other two, differing in accidents and externals, but all intimately agreeing in substantial teaching, so that we are quite sure of the genius and spirit of Christian ethics from the first: I mean, (1) the Synoptical Gospels, (2) St. Paul's Epistles, (3) St. John's Gospel, Epistles, and Apocalypse. Now, the first of these says, "Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. The disciple is not above his Master. Fear them not. I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword." "I pray not for the world," says the third, "the world hath hated them because they are not of the world. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. The world lieth in wickedness." And the second, "In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, and were by nature the children of wrath even as the rest." And yet, "Preach the gospel to every creature," says the first; "God so loved the world, that," &c., says the third; and "He will have all men to be saved," says the second. After avowals such as these in our primary authorities, it will be a hard job to discover any Irenicon between Catholicity and the moral teaching of this day.
4. This will be still clearer as we examine the details of our ethics, as developed from our fundamental principles. The direct and prime aim of the Church is the worship of the Unseen God; the sole object, as I may say, of the social and political world everywhere, is to make the most of this life. I do not think this antithesis an exaggeration when we look at the action of both on a large scale and in their grand outlines. In this age especially, not only are Catholics confessedly behindhand in political, social, physical, and economical science (more than they need be), but it is the great reproach urged against them by men of the world that so it is. And such a state of things is but the outcome of apostolic teaching. It was said in the beginning, "Take no thought for the morrow. Woe unto those that are rich. Blessed be the poor; to the poor the gospel is preached. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent. Not many wise men, not many mighty, not many noble are called. Many are called, few are chosen. Take up your cross and follow me. No man can have two masters; he who loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. We walk by faith, not by sight; by faith ye are saved. This is the victory that overcometh the world, our faith. Without holiness no man can see the Lord. Our God is a consuming fire." This is a very different ethical system from that whether of Bentham or of Paley.
5. I am far from saying that it was not from the first intended that the strict and stern ethics of Christianity should be, as it was in fact, elastic enough to receive into itself secular objects and thereby secular men, and secular works and institutions, as secondary and subordinate to the magisterium of religion—and I am far indeed from thinking that the teaching and action of the world are unmixed evil in their first elements (society, government, law, and intellectual truth being all from God), and far from ignoring the actual goodness and excellence of individual Protestants, which comes from the same God as the Church's holiness; but I mean that, as you might contemplate the long history of England or France, and recognise a vast difference between the two peoples in ethical character and national life, and consequent fortunes, so, and much more, you can no more make the Catholic and Protestant ethos one, than you can mix oil and vinegar. Catholics have a moral life of their own, as the early Christians had, and the same life as they—our doctrines and practices come of it; we are and always shall be militant against the world and its spirit, whether the world be considered within the Church's pale or external to it.
6. Coming back to your letter, I should not wonder if you think I have mistaken its drift, and have been beating the air. I do not think I have, though I have thought it best to fall back upon the previous question.
I have meant to say that, though our opposition to science, &c., ceased ever so much, we should not thereby be more acceptable in our teaching to the public opinion of the day.
Ever yours affectionately,
P.S.—Thank you for what you tell me of your new abode. On reading this over I find it more difficult to follow its course of thought than I could have wished.


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Officials to review safety issues following worker's death
Following the tragic death of town employee Benjamin Olmstead, who was struck by a pickup truck while working at a downtown corner last week, town officials are planning to meet next week to discuss safety improvements to that area.
Olmstead, a 37-year veteran of the Department of Public Works, died July 24 at Norwalk Hospital, one day after he was hit by a Dodge Ram at the corner of New Norwalk Road and East Avenue, according to police.
Twenty-three years ago, a 34-year-old pregnant woman was struck and killed by a car at the same intersection, according to a Nov. 9, 1991, article in The Hour.
Susan Ryan Conte, of Norwalk, was walking back to a doctor's office on East Avenue after her car broke down at the intersection, the article stated.
The fetus did not survive the accident.
Though both East Avenue, also known as Route 106, and New Norwalk Road, also known as Route 123, are state roads, First Selectman Robert Mallozzi said he would meet with Department of Public Works officials to discuss recommendations for improving safety at the site.
Olmstead, a 71-year-old engineer and surveyor for the town, was spray-painting the intersection and was working alone, according to Public Works Director Michael Pastore.
The pickup truck was traveling north on New Norwalk Road and was attempting to make a left turn onto East Avenue, Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said, when Olmstead was struck. The Norwalk resident suffered "serious injuries" and was transported to the hospital by the New Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps, according to the chief.
An official cause of death has not been released. Krolikowski said "it's really early in the investigation" and police still haven't received the final results of Olmstead's autopsy.
The driver and sole occupant of the pickup, 60-year-old Francesco Sorge, also of Norwalk, immediately stopped and remained at the scene. The chief said "it appears" that Sorge would not be charged in the accident.
Pastore would not elaborate on the safety measures that were in place when Olmstead was working. Traffic cones, stop paddles and sawhorses were seen in the area the day of the accident, but officials would not confirm whether Olmstead was using them and they would not say whether the road was blocked.
Mallozzi said "this death has reminded" the town of the importance of pedestrian safety in New Canaan.
"This is a tremendous loss and my deepest sympathy is extended to the entire Olmstead family as well as our Town Hall family who worked with, and loved, Ben so very much," Mallozzi said July 24 in a news release.
Pastore said Olmstead retired two years ago, but continued working part time -- every weekday morning.
In the past 11 years, New Canaan police have investigated 34 pedestrian-versus-motor vehicle accidents; five of those pedestrians died, according to Krolikowski.
"In New Canaan, both pedestrians and drivers do not obey laws and signals consistently and many often use cellphones while walking or driving," he said in a statement this week.
Olmstead was the third person struck by a car on a New Canaan road since December.
In 2013, there were four accidents involving pedestrians in town, according to police.
One of those victims was Town Council member Kathleen Corbet, who was also hit by a Dodge Ram while crossing Locust Avenue at the intersection of Main Street on the rainy night of Dec. 6.
In March 2014, a woman was seriously injured after she was struck by a car on the northwestern corner of Park and Elm streets right after getting off a train. Additionally, a toddler died June 6 after he was hit by a car in his family's driveway on Mill Road.
In August 2010, Krishna Jayaraman, 82, died after a hit-and-run accident in front of his Oenoke Ridge home.
The driver, Kate Regan, was sentenced last year to a suspended five-year term with five years' probation on the charges of negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and evading responsibility.
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-330-6582; @olivnelson


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2005 News Releases > April 2005 > English teacher's life leads him to Wayland
English teacher's life leads him to Wayland
PLAINVIEW – "It feels like because of all the experiences I've had, everything has prepared me for a living ministry here at Wayland," said Dr. Moumin Quazi, associate professor of English at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview.
"It seemed like random events along the way, but they're culminating into this experience."
Those random events are part of what leads Quazi, who came to Wayland this past fall after teaching at another faith-based university, to label himself a "Forrest Gump" of sorts. And like the movie character, Quazi's experiences are varied and meaningful, each in their own way.
Raised in the Dallas area, Quazi said his childhood was full of learning experiences. The son of an immigrant from India and an American mother, he recalls "a feeling of being at home in America but also a stranger." His parents divorced while he was a young boy and an American stepfather introduced him to more American culture. But he would still feel out of place at times.
"People weren't sure what culture I was," he recalled. "Back then, people weren't as aware of foreign people. That really prepared me for the role of a Christian pilgrim… in the world but not of the world."
To add to the confusion, Quazi's father had raised his son in the Muslim tradition, but his mother allowed an inquisitive spirit in matters of faith. Extended family represented varied perspectives on religion, so the decision wasn't as automatic as it might have seemed.
"In Islam, the primary means of acceptance to Allah is your own goodness," Quazi said. "As a young adult, I heard the gospel of Jesus and felt guilty about my sin. That's when I first considered Christianity."
Still curious, Quazi enrolled at Texas Christian University, earning a music scholarship for his saxophone talents and pursuing a degree in radio/television and film. At TCU, he studied Greek, and marveled at the truths found in the scriptures.
"One that really stuck out was Ephesians 2, 'For by grace you're saved, not by works, lest any man should boast,'" he recalled. "I felt that God was telling me it wasn't about what I'd done but what he'd done for me. I had to accept that gift of grace."
From that point on, Quazi said he has lived a life of gratitude for the grace of God, rather than a faith driven by guilt. Feeling the call of God on his life, Quazi said he followed his bachelor's degree from TCU with a master's in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, though he admits he wasn't sure what God intended his life's ministry to be.
Seeking that niche, he interned in the university department at First Baptist Church in Dallas, but found that wasn't his calling either. Ever eager to learn, he took two English classes at Tarrant County Junior College during the summer of 1989 and felt a new purpose in literature.
"To me, it's not really a subject but a springboard off of which you can jump into a lot of areas," Quazi said. "Literature really is life."
With a diversity of experiences and interests under his belt, Quazi said he was able to infuse his studies with the other facets of his life. Feeling a new calling, he enrolled in the University of North Texas and earned a master's degree and a doctorate in English while teaching as a graduate fellow, with the novel as one of his areas of expertise.
Afterward, he taught at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, before coming to Wayland in the fall.
"When the job came up, I didn't think this was where I'd end up," he recalled. "But after visiting here, I was sure this was not just a move for me, but a sense of my coming home."
He recalls a visit with Wayland President Dr. Paul Armes, who encouraged the young professor.
"His advice was, 'Bend 'em, but don't break 'em,'" Quazi noted. "That fit my philosophy of teaching, which is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. I want to stretch students within the context of literature."
Of particular interest for his dissertation studies was the work of Salman Rushdie, a controversial author with whom Quazi felt a kinship. While Rushdie was shunned by conservative Muslims, culminating in the fatwa pronouncing a bounty on Rushdie's head, Quazi was disowned by his father for choosing Christianity over Islam. Quazi said his father won't pursue a relationship with him unless he embraces Islam.
On Sept. 10, 2001, Quazi was able to meet his literary hero at a Houston event. Looking back now, he said the event seems surreal, especially in light of the terrorist attacks that occurred the very next morning.
But he's cherished the experience of meeting the famed author, just one of several serendipitous events in his life. Some of these events include meeting author Margaret Atwood; meeting two tremendous musical influences on his life: Pat Metheny and Ravi Shankar, an artist for whom he and his father share an affinity; and having a poem published in a book by author Naomi Shihab Nye. He also writes book reviews for the San Antonio Express-News, and was recently named editor of the South Asian Literary Association's newsletter.
Aside from his teaching duties at Wayland, Quazi keeps in touch with his other interests. He edits the journal of the Conference of College Teachers of English (called CCTE Studies), and he recently substituted for Dr. Sandra Mosteller as director of Wayland's jazz band this spring. He also spent eight weeks in the pulpit at First Baptist Church in Edmonson, preaching a series about grace, during the sabbatical absence of pastor Jimmy Neff and drawing on his theological education.
"People sometimes ask me, 'Why didn't you stay in the ministry?' but I did," he said. "I'm teaching and that's my ministry. I'm very passionate about this profession as my calling."
He's also passionate about remaining true to the gospel message of grace and living that out in his daily walk. "I live a life of gratitude," Quazi said. "When I feel the focus for my acceptance with God is on my works, I try to refocus the attention on Jesus and what He's done. That's my motivation for loving living—in both senses of the phrase."


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Spanish Hams: Mangalica to Serrano
rom the country hams of Virginia to the legendary hams of Spain, the preserved hind leg of a pig is one of the foods that inspire cookbook authors and diner cooks alike.
Originally a way to cure and store the hindquarters of a slaughtered pig to last the winter, the process of curing ham has evolved into something akin to art. Much like bacon, ham can be cured in a variety of ways.
- Fresh hams are cut from the pig, cleaned and hair removed. They can be cooked just like any fresh cut of pork.
- Wet-cured hams are injected with a curing solution (usually with water, sugar, honey and preservatives), or are rubbed or tumbled in the curing solution. Wet-cured hams are often uncooked, partially cooked and smoked, or fully cooked and ready to eat. The wet-cured ham is the classic American ham, glazed and roasted for a holiday meal.
- Dry-cured or country hams are like Italian prosciutto, salted and air-dried for long periods of time, often over a year. Spain is famous for its dry-cured ham, called jambon, which can age for up to 3 1/2 years, intensifying in flavor the entire time.
Mangalica Ham
One of the most extraordinary Spanish hams, the Mangalica ham, is born of a recent partnership with Hungarian farmers and heritage breed preservationists. Their indigenous Mangalica pig is an Old World breed with a thick coat of curly hair and lots of subcutaneous and intramuscular fat, making it ideal for the long air-curing process perfected in Spain. The Mangalitsa (spelled Mangalica in Spain) was once the most popular pig in Hungary, used for traditional sausages and creamy lard, but by the 1990s was nearly extinct. A group of farmers determined to preserve this precious curly-haired, heritage breed, and today the Mangalica is enjoying a revival on small farms, both in Europe and the United States. The Mangalica pig is not well-suited to intensive farming as it is unable to thrive in tight confines. In Hungary, Mangalica pigs are often raised on pasture in the Hungarian Steppe, an expansive grassland ecosystem, where they forage and root for their food.
Jamon Serrano
Jamon Serrano, or Serrano ham, meaning literally "mountain ham," is aged in the fresh mountain air of Spain for a minimum of 18 months with only natural Mediterranean sea salt. Most Serrano ham is made from Landrace breed pigs, or a mix of Duroc breed, Large White and Landrace. In Spain, Serrano ham is a part of life, served in bars, restaurants and found in virtually every home.
Iberico Ham
Serrano should not be confused with Iberico ham, which is much more expensive, and made from the Black Iberian breed, which is related to wild boar. The pigs are raised in pasture and oak groves in the southern regions of Spain, eating grass, herbs, roots, acorns and cereals. Due to the acorn diet, the fat of the Iberico ham is a monounsaturated fatty acid, associated with balancing cholesterol. These hams were known as a delicacy even in the days of the Roman Empire, and they are still hand crafted by traditional methods. Master ham makers use traditional air curing methods to create these famous Iberico hams, curing them for more than two years. Iberico ham has golden and highly aromatic marbling, a nuanced flavor, and is so tender it liquefies at room temperature.
Jambon de Bayonne
Not to be outdone, the French have contributed the Jambon de Bayonne to the world library of cured pork products. The Bayonne ham is an air-cured, salted ham that takes its name from the ancient port city of Bayonne in the far south west of France, in the cultural region of both Gascony and Basque country. Jambon de Bayonne enjoys protected status, and as such there are regulations to guarantee that the ham is cured in Bayonne, France, and the meat used comes from one of eight defined breeds of pigs raised in a specific area. The diet of these pigs is strictly controlled (no antibiotics, steroids, fish oils) and each animal is identified with a tattoo. Even transport, slaughter, size and weight, minimum fat content, and post-slaughter storage temperature are all regulated. Thus the name Jambon de Bayonne can only be used on ham that meets all these criteria.
There is, however, a specialty-meats company in New Jersey (ahem) that uses the name Jambon de Bayonne on their ham. Perhaps it is spared the wrath of Le Consortium de Jambon de Bayonne, tasked with the responsibility of controlling ham production, because it is outside of their jurisdiction.


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The National Zoo is celebrating 40 years of pandas.
Monday was the 40th anniversary of the day pandas Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The pandas were gifts to the United States from China following President Richard Nixon's historic visit to the country.
The pandas were officially presented to the Zoo on April 20, 1972. Ling-Ling lived at the National Zoo until 1992, when she died. Hsing-Hsing died in 1999.
The zoo's current two pandas, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, arrived in December 2000.
Copyright AP - Associated Press