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Why Blogging is Booming and Newspapers Are Scrambling to Catch UpOne of the things that gives blogging a chance to surpass the newspaper as a medium to convey information and opinion is the interactive nature of a blog. When Thomas Friedman writes something in the New York Times, most of his readers have no opportunity to interact directly with him to agree with, challenge, clarify or amplify his message--but when David Friedman writes something in 20 Second Timeout, anybody and everybody can comment, knowing full well that I will read and respond in a timely fashion. Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying that basketball is more important than foreign policy or that there are not some blogs that are poorly written (with comments sections to match); all I'm saying is that the older, traditional forms of media maintain a distance between the person or persons who dispense information and those who are receiving it. The numerous recent plagiarism scandals and the frequent correction notices that can be found in newspapers bely any pretense that this distance automatically results in a product that is objective and accurate. Dr. Emanuel Lasker, the great World Chess Champion, once said, "On the chessboard, lies and hypocrisy do not survive long. The creative combination lays bare the presumption of a lie; the merciless fact, culminating in the checkmate, contradicts the hypocrite." The blogosphere at its best has a similar purifying effect to that of checkmate: "merciless fact" wins out over supposition. That is why so many of the recent foibles in mainstream media--from Dan Rather's missteps to Reuters' doctoring of photographs and so forth--have been first exposed by bloggers, without whom the general public would have been none the wiser.
What does this have to do with basketball? Simple: some very interesting discussions take place in the comments section of this website. Based on the fact that many different readers post comments I know that at least a certain portion of the readership follows these discussions but I have no way of ascertaining how many "lurkers" read this material without saying anything. I very much appreciate that I have readers who closely follow what is written here and frequently comment about it, sometimes very soon after I make a post. I don't agree with everything that is said but I value everyone's input and always look forward to the opportunity to interact with my readers.
For those of you who may not follow what goes on in the comments sections, I'd like to share the details of a recent (and still ongoing) exchange. Someone, who to this point has chosen to remain anonymous, has posted several comments that contain harsh criticism of Kobe Bryant, parroting the assertions that he is a ballhog and that several other players could have played alongside Shaquille O'Neal and won three titles. The latter statement falls purely in the realm of the hypothetical and cannot be definitively proven or disproven but the weight of the evidence is heavily against it: Bryant has been a fixture on the All-NBA Team, generally as a member of the First Team, since he became a starter in his third pro season. He has also been a fixture on the All-Defensive Team and led each of the Lakers' championship teams in assists. Looking at the NBA during the time period in question, no one else could have filled all of those roles the way that Bryant did.
"Anonymous" then made a more specific assertion, namely that Bryant owns six of the 13 worst shooting percentages all-time for 50 point games. I'd never heard that one before and did not even know how to confirm or deny that, so I asked "Anonymous" what his source was. He told me to go to this page at Basketball-Reference.com. I'd visited there before but had never done the exact box score search that "Anonymous" did. The first thing I noticed was that the box score search function only includes games from 1987-present, so no "all-time" rankings could be made based on this kind of research. There have indeed been 13 50 point games since 1986-87 in which the player shot worse than .500 from the field and six of them were by Bryant. According to "Anonymous," this proves that Bryant is nothing but a gunner. However, I took a closer look at the numbers and here is how I described (in the comments section) what I found: "Kobe's team went 3-3, with two of the losses on the road (even good teams struggle to win half of their road games). The worst of Kobe's shooting percentages is .415 but that includes 7-15 shooting from three point range. He ended up with 50 points on 41 field goal attempts, well more than a point per shot, and had eight rebounds and eight assists in a 112-109 win. A similar story can be told for most of the other six games; in every single one Kobe has significantly more points than field goal attempts because of three point shots and drawing fouls for free throws. Any coach would love to have a player who can score 50 points at a better than a point per field goal attempt clip."
Field goal percentage is not the best tool to evaluate overall shooting efficiency, particularly for players who shoot a lot of three pointers and/or attempt a lot of free throws. A much more precise measure is "adjusted field goal percentage," which is calculated, as I explained in another comment, "by subtracting free throws made from points scored, dividing that number by field goals attempted and then dividing again by two. Apply that formula to Kobe's 'worst' 50 point game in the boxscore search and it works out to .500! In other words, in Kobe's "worst" 50 point game he shot the equivalent of 25-50 from the field with no threes or free throws. Of course, he made a lot of threes and free throws in the actual game, which mitigated the effect of his missed shots." I also pointed out that in the game in question Bryant had eight rebounds and eight assists. "Anonymous" stated that Bryant is just a gunner, that he puts up meager statistics in other categories in his high scoring games and that his high scoring games come against weak teams that the Lakers would have beaten anyway. The idea that the Lakers would have won these games anyway clearly makes no sense and in a previous post that looked at Bryant's statistics in his first 16 40 point games of 2006-07 (he later had two more such games with very gaudy shooting numbers, 17-33 and 18-25) I showed that during those games Bryant averaged 7.0 rpg and 4.7 apg while shooting .514 from the field, .500 from three point range and .853 from the free throw line. That works out to a .575 adjusted field goal percentage, which is very good. Bryant averaged 48.9 ppg in those games, during which the Lakers went 12-4; they went 1-1 in his two subsequent 40 point games (which were actually 50 points apiece), so Bryant spent more than a fifth of the season scoring nearly 50 ppg while shooting a tremendous percentage, contributing rebounds and assists and leading the Lakers to a 13-5 mark. I challenged "Anonymous" to find another player, other than Wilt Chamberlain, who had 16 (I should have said 18) such games in one season. In the face of such numbers it is silly to talk about the records of the various opponents: all NBA teams have good players and no one else can come close to doing what Bryant did against NBA opposition. Of course, those games do not even include his "greatest hits" from previous seasons, including his 81 point game, his 62 points in three quarters versus Dallas (outscoring by one point over a 36 minute span an eventual NBA Finalist) or his 56 points in three quarters versus Memphis on January 14, 2002.
This whole interesting discussion came in response to my post Making Your Teammates Better. Two things that I find very interesting about the way today's NBA is viewed are (1) that Steve Nash is basically immune from any criticism despite being a two-time MVP who has never made it to the NBA Finals and (2) that some people respond with a visceral negativity to the idea that Bryant is not just a scorer but in fact the best and most complete player in the game. Regarding point one, think about this: Nash finished his season by shooting 1-8 in the fourth quarter of a very winnable Game Five and then almost completely disappearing (three points) in the first half of Game Six as his Suns lost to the Spurs. Have you seen or heard anything about those stats, other than at this website? Meanwhile, LeBron James' decision to pass the ball at the end of Game One versus a heavily favored Detroit team supposedly is a referendum on whether he will ever be a truly great player. This is James' first appearance at the Conference Finals level, while Nash is a two-time MVP whose team enjoyed homecourt advantage against the Spurs (at least until they lost it in Game One). Regarding point two, the "Making Your Teammates Better" post focused on what great players do, specifically, to make their teams better and I used the consensus top five players in the NBA this year--Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, LeBron James--as examples. One would think that this would be non-controversial, but the mere suggestion that Bryant--a three-time champion like Duncan--should be considered a team player apparently greatly irritates some people.
I don't "love" Kobe Bryant or "hate" Steve Nash. I think that they are both excellent players. What I "hate" is that most of the "experts" who analyze basketball do not apply the same standards across the board when they evaluate players. I try to make player evaluations the way that a scout would. As I put it during my exchange with "Anonymous," "Kobe has no weaknesses:
1) Finishes at the hoop with either hand
2) Dribbles well with either hand
3) Has excellent post moves and footwork
4) Draws fouls and shoots FTs very well
5) Has three point range
6) Can get off a good shot attempt even against good defense
7) Rebounds well for his position
8) Reads double-teams well and makes the correct passes, which don't always lead to assists for two reasons: the second pass out of the trap often leads to the assist and it is not possible for anyone to get an assist if the shot is not made
9) Excellent defender, as acknowledged by the league's head coaches in All-Defensive Team voting
10) Tremendous inner drive and will to win
There is no other player in the NBA about which all of the above can truthfully be said."
Players should be evaluated on their skill level and how they apply those skills during games--and that has nothing to do with the cliched concepts of "loving" one player and "hating" another player.
posted by David Friedman @ 5:40 AM


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NEW YORK (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Obama administration Tuesday, asking the government to halt a phone-tracking program that collects the telephone records of millions of Americans and that it says is unconstitutional.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York by the American Civil Liberties Union, along with the New York Civil Liberties Union.
"The practice is akin to snatching every American's address book — with annotations detailing whom we spoke to, when we talked, for how long, and from where," the lawsuit says. "It gives the government a comprehensive record of our associations and public movements, revealing a wealth of detail about our familial, political, professional, religious, and intimate associations."
The lawsuit — which names as defendants the heads of national intelligence as well as the agencies they lead, including the National Security Agency, the FBI, the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice — also asks the court to purge phone records collected under the program, claiming the government action violates the First and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution.
The Department of Justice did not immediately return a call seeking comment. President Barack Obama has defended the program and says privacy must be balanced with security.
Last week, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on April 25 issued an order granting the NSA permission to collect telephone records of millions of Verizon customers. The order was good until July 19, the newspaper said.
The order requires Verizon, one of the nation's largest telecommunications companies, on an "ongoing, daily basis" to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its systems, both within the U.S. and between the U.S. and other countries.
The ACLU claims standing as a former customer of Verizon, adding that the government likely has much of its metadata stored in its databases.
The suit also alleges the government's program exceeds the congressional authority provided by the Patriot Act and singles out a particular provision that has given the government more leeway in obtaining various records for intelligence investigations.
"The fact that the government is collecting this information is likely to have a chilling effect on people who would otherwise contact Plaintiffs," the suit says.


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- Economy
- Diversity
- Mobility
- Innovation
- Stewardship
- Community
OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program
In 2003, with the passage of the third Oregon Transportation Investment Act, the Oregon Department of Transportation was tasked with delivering a $1.3 billion program to repair or replace hundreds of aging highway bridges statewide.
ODOT used innovative methods and processes to deliver the OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program, such as grouping — or bundling — nearby projects so local firms across the state could compete for contracts.
ODOT's philosophy for the bridge program was based on stewardship: Take care of what you have so current and future generations can prosper. The improved network of bridges spurred job growth during design and construction and helped preserve the highway infrastructure fundamental to Oregon's economy.
This website was developed to provide a comprehensive overview of work performed on the program and highlight its many successes.


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Compare cheap flights from Cairns to Poland
Compare and book cheap flights from Cairns (CNS) to Poland with Skiddoo. Use the Skiddoo flight explorer to find the cheapest time to fly to Poland from Cairns on a range of leading airlines. Save with our exclusive Cairns to Poland flight deals online today.
What to do in Poland
Poland is a gorgeous European country that's home to manmade sights from different eras and contrasting natural wonders. Join travellers from all over the world and experience Poland's rich culture, urban vibes, and fascinating way of life!
Fly to Warsaw to discover charms of the old world and the modern side of Poland. Visit the Palace of Culture and Science, the Palace on the Water, and the Royal Castle. Check out the Metropolitan building, the Supreme Court, and the Warsaw University Library. Visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum, the Center for Contemporary Art, Chopin Museum, and the Copernicus Science Centre.
Find more world-class museums when you fly to Wroclaw, such as the stunning University of Wroclaw Museum, the popular Panorama Raclawicka, the National Museum in Wroclaw, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Don't forget to visit Wroclaw's Market Square, the Old Town Hall, and the Wroclaw Water Tower.
Explore Wawel Hill with the Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral when you fly to Krakow. Marvel at sight of the Town Hall Tower and the Medieval Barbican. Go on a museum tour as well at the National Museum, the Krakow Historical Museum, Archaeological Museum, and the International Cultural Centre too.
Travel to Poland's other iconic cities as well, such as Auschwitz, Gdansk, Torun, and Zamosc. From manmade sights to natural attractions, Poland has 23 national parks and loads of other landscapes across the country. Be in awe of the Bialowieza National Park.
Dare yourself to conquer the Tatra Mountains. See the Dunajec River Gorge at Pieninski National Park and fall for the waterfalls of Karkonoski National Park. You can even find huge sand dunes at Slowinski National Park.
Travel to this beautiful country and start planning your trip with this list of things to do in Poland.
When to visit Poland
The best time to visit Poland is during high season from May to September, when the weather is lovely and the attractions are open for business. Low season from November to February is a great time to visit Poland for skiing and other winter activities.
But you can plan your trip whenever you want, because you and other Australians can fly to Poland and travel around the country visa-free for up to 90 days. Be sure that your passport is valid for at least six months when you fly back to Australia. Just visit Smartraveller for more travel info.
Travelling to and around Poland
Airports in Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, and several others will welcome you in Poland. You can easily travel around Poland by plane, train, bus, taxi, or cycling.
So what are you waiting for? Get your suitcase ready and go book your Poland flights with Skiddoo today!


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The Truth About Vermouth
The secret ingredient in today's top cocktails remains misunderstood
When the trumpets sound and Judgment Day comes, we mortals will have plenty for which to account. While it falls many points below unforgivable crimes such as destruction of the rain forest, global warming and the green-lighting of "The Love Guru," the decline in vermouth's fortunes from 19th century dandy to outcast of the speed rail certainly ranks on the list of modern offenses.
For many bartenders, the culprit is clear. "The cocktail to blame is the super-dry vodka martini," says Jonny Raglin, bar manager at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco.
Fear, apparently, is a factor. "Almost 75 percent of my vodka martini drinkers are very, very afraid of vermouth," says Brooke Arthur, bar manager at Range. While many vodka martini fans are seeking a cocktail as flavorless as possible, Arthur says, drinkers enter the world of the contemporary bar with almost no exposure to vermouth.
"They don't even know what it tastes like, but a friend who gave them their first dirty martini didn't use it, so they don't want it in there," Arthur says.
Native to northwest Italy and southern France, vermouth - a wine that has been aromatized with herbs and other botanicals and lightly fortified with unaged brandy - is widely popular in parts of Europe, where it is usually served as an aperitif. But from the approach taken by most American bartenders - who typically dispense vermouth with atomizers, eyedroppers or simply a delicate hand when mixing martinis - vermouth could be considered some sort of bibulous antimatter.
"Bartenders are taught to treat (vermouth) like toxic waste," says cocktail historian David Wondrich.
Wondrich notes that vermouth revolutionized mixology when it entered heavy usage in the late 1880s, and vermouth-heavy drinks of the era - such as prototypes of the martini and the Manhattan, which were made with twice as much vermouth as gin or whiskey - earned the cocktail a new level of sophistication. "By the 1890s it's like every drink has vermouth in it," Wondrich says. "They were completely crazy about this stuff."
Early days of vermouth
Vermouth's commercial origins date to 1786, when Antonio Benedetto Carpano began marketing the aromatized wine he produced in Turin, but the consumption of vermouth and its precursors stretches back centuries. Typically made from neutral-character dry white wines that have been flavored with herbs, roots and barks - typically including cardamom, cinnamon, marjoram and chamomile - and then fortified with a neutral grape spirit, vermouth is classically made - and named - for another botanical: wormwood (the plant's name in Old High German is Wermud).
Used as a treatment against intestinal worms, wormwood has been added to wine and ale since at least the time of Greek mathematician Pythagoras, and wine infused with herbs including wormwood was utilized as a tonic and medical treatment by Hippocrates.
By the late 17th century, homemade vermouths were commonly made in the Piedmont region of Italy. In the decades following Carpano's commercial debut, other vermouth makers began production in Turin: The Cinzano family opened their facility in 1816. Martini & Rossi, now the largest manufacturer of vermouth, started production in 1863.
In 1813, Joseph Noilly created the style that came to be known as dry vermouth or French vermouth. By 1855, Noilly's son, Louis, and his brother-in-law, Claudius Prat, were producing Noilly Prat dry vermouth in the southern French village of Marseillan. Like the Italian firms, Noilly uses white grapes, specifically Clairette and Picpoul grapes grown in the Languedoc region of France, but doesn't color the wine. (See "French vs. Italian" on Page F5.)
Starting with the aptly named Vermouth Cocktail, which debuted in print in 1869 and is composed of chilled vermouth with a twist of lemon peel, occasionally accented with dashes of bitters and maraschino liqueur - ample quantities of vermouth were consumed in cocktails in the decades that followed its mixological debut. But by the mid-20th century, bartenders were following the lead of martini drinkers such as Winston Churchill, who is said to have merely glanced at a bottle of vermouth (or, in some versions of the story, in the direction of France) while preparing a drink. This trend toward drier martinis, combined with changing tastes toward lighter-flavored drinks and the advent of the vodka martini, meant vermouth became largely ignored and, as a result, misunderstood.
Today it's not uncommon for a bottle of vermouth - deployed solely for the purpose of making martinis or Manhattans - to last weeks or even months in a standard bar, and many home bartenders may have bottles in their liquor cabinets that were purchased during the era of $2 gasoline.
A California bottling
Andrew Quady, whose winery in Madera (Madera County) makes both sweet and dry vermouth under the Vya label, says he decided to produce one precisely because it seemed so unpopular. "There's got to be something wrong (with vermouth)," Quady recalls a restaurateur friend telling him before he launched Vya in 1999. "People don't like it, nobody drinks it straight, and it's used in a few cocktails - the most important of which is the martini. And when making martinis, people don't use it."
For Vya's dry vermouth, Quady uses botanicals including lavender, alfalfa and members of the mint family. Quady says the blend was chosen with the idea to create a flavor and aroma evocative of an alpine environment. "Maybe it could be like aromatherapy," he says. "You'd smell it and imagine yourself being transported to a mountain meadow."
Most Italian-style vermouths are made with a neutral white wine as a base. (Not all: Carpano distributes limited quantities of a robust-flavored vermouth called Carpano Antica Formula, made from red wine, which the company claims is based on the original 1786 recipe.) But Vya's sweet vermouth is produced using Orange Muscat, commonly used to produce dessert wines, with some Port-style wine added for color and flavor. Quady's choice of botanicals creates a richer, spicier vermouth, with less of the bitterness found in vermouths such as Antica Formula.
While Vya earned some devoted fans, Quady's hope that it would be embraced as an aperitif hasn't quite panned out. "My objective from the very beginning was to make something that people would enjoy drinking straight," Quady says. "We continue to try to get people to think of it on its own, but so far that doesn't seem to be happening."
Cocktails showcase flavors
At Bourbon & Branch, Vya is the default vermouth for many of the bar's cocktails. Bar manager Yanni Kehagiaras says Vya's intense flavor is the reason bartenders at the Tenderloin bar choose to feature it so prominently.
"This is going to sound totally dorky, but I did a vermouth intensity chart where I rate them from the most to least intense," Kehagiaras says. For dry vermouths, Vya dominated the intensity scale, and for sweet vermouths, it closely followed the assertively flavored Carpano Antica Formula. "That boldness, when you're using half an ounce in a cocktail, it showcases your vermouth rather than losing it," Kehagiaras says.
While full-flavored vermouths such as Vya and Antica Formula have earned a certain cachet in prominent cocktail bars, bartenders warn against relying too heavily on them. "When I try to use the (Carpano) Antica or the Vya, I really have to think, 'What's going on here?' " says Seattle cocktail consultant Jamie Boudreau.
Boudreau says that substituting an intensely flavored vermouth for a milder product has the potential to knock a drink's flavor off balance. "The Carpano Antica is a linebacker and the Cinzano is a soccer player. They're both muscular, but one lets you know when it hits you," he says. "There's so much flavor going on in the Antica, and even the texture - it makes its presence known. If you're using it, you need to have something big, strong and bold enough to go up against it, or you're going to have to really cut back in its proportions."
Boudreau cites as an example the Waldorf Cocktail, composed of equal parts bourbon, absinthe and sweet vermouth. "In that case, you want a strong bourbon and a strong vermouth that can help tame down the absinthe," he says.
Vermouth's ability to temper full-flavored spirits makes it a preferred ingredient at Absinthe. "I think vermouth's most important attribute is its alcohol content," Raglin says. "It's not much more than wine, and it helps tone down big, gnarly spirits like whiskey and gin, even Tequila."
Unlike other bar staples such as citrus juice or liqueurs, Raglin says, vermouth can alter the character of a drink without knocking the flavors in an undesired direction.
While bartenders such as Boudreau and Neyah White, bar manager at Nopa, assert that Antica Formula may be the ultimate vermouth for a Manhattan, White is equally emphatic that more mainstream brands are preferable for many cocktails. "Martini & Rossi is the only vermouth for a Negroni, period," White says. "It's the only one that can handle the Campari on a 1-to-1 ratio. The sugar levels just aren't there in the more esoteric vermouths, so (Martini & Rossi is) what I use for that one - and I serve a hell of a lot of Negronis."
In parts of the world where vermouth is more popular, other varieties are available beyond the two mainstream styles. In the 1960s, Cinzano launched a rosé vermouth in Italy; Martini & Rossi also produces a rosé vermouth, which is sold primarily in France. French producer Dolin makes a strawberry-flavored vermouth called Chamberyzette for the European market, and Noilly Prat makes limited quantities of Noilly Ambre, a rich-tasting vermouth flavored with botanicals including cinnamon and orange peel, which is sold almost exclusively from its production facility in Marseillan.
After sighting a bottle of rosé vermouth through the window of a closed liquor store in London, Neyah White grew frustrated that the product wasn't available close to home, and decided to make his own. He infused botanicals including rose petals, dried jasmine and quassia bark in grain alcohol, which he used as a fortifying agent, and in his base wine: a 2005 Grenache-Syrah blend from the Rhone Valley that was just starting to oxidize. "Since the wine was getting a little old, I wasn't going to crush anything by adding botanicals to it," White says. "There was no delicate balance I was going to screw up."
Homemade vermouths
Made for the spring season, White's homebrew vermouth was mixed in a special house cocktail and was also served chilled as an aperitif. "I have three guests who drink this exclusively before dinner; I've actually set bottles aside for them because I know I'll run out by the end of the summer," White says.
Such experiments underscore a renewed interest in vermouth. By the end of the year, vermouths from Dolin - prized by bartenders but only sporadically available in the Bay Area, and almost not at all elsewhere in the country - are expected to be distributed more widely and regularly by Haus Alpenz, a Minnesota importer and distributor of artisan spirits. Beginning in October, Noilly Prat will distribute its popular European blend of dry vermouth - richer in color and more fragrant than the current American blend - in the United States.
At Range, bartenders are doing their part to lift vermouth's fortunes. For the restaurant's cocktail of the day, Arthur says she often uses the wine to "kick-start" the staff's creativity. "You'll make (a drink) that seems like it's missing something, and it's a running joke that you just add sweet vermouth to it," she says.
Most bars still ration out their dry vermouth when mixing martinis, but with the growing interest among bartenders, it's getting easier for fans of vermouth to find a drink to their liking. "I always order a wet martini when I go out these days," Wondrich says. "People used to look at me like I was insane, but now they've clearly heard of it."
French vs. Italian
Labels such as "French" or "Italian" vermouth refer to the style of the wine, not its provenance. Both styles are produced by makers such as Martini & Rossi, Cinzano and Noilly Prat, along with less widely distributed producers such as Boissiere and Dolin, and by California-produced Vya. Originally, the Italian firms that commercialized vermouth made a style known as rosso. Often simply known as sweet vermouth or Italian vermouth, rosso vermouth is mildly bitter and slightly sweet, with a dusky garnet color from caramelized sugar.
That contrasts with dry vermouth, also known as French vermouth due to its commercialization by French firms. Like most rosso vermouths, dry vermouths are also made from neutral-character white wines - but are flavored with a different set of botanicals that may include nutmeg and bitter orange peel.
Several makers also produce a sweet, white style of vermouth known as bianco that is widely available. And Carpano makes Punt e Mes, an extra-bitter aromatized wine that blurs the boundaries between rosso vermouth and the class of Italian bitters known as amari.
How to store
Like any other wine, vermouth begins to oxidize once a bottle has been opened. While refrigeration will slow the process, the flavor gradually changes over time. Vermouth fans recommend finishing a bottle within a month, or sooner, from when the seal is first broken. Always store it in the fridge to slow the process as much as possible.
"People have an aversion to vermouth, and quite frankly, it's well founded," says Seattle cocktail consultant Jamie Boudreau. "Even if you keep your vermouth in the fridge, after a week you'll notice it has a different flavor. If you keep that vermouth on a shelf, it's going to taste terrible. That's why people don't like vermouth."
Tasting notes
While most vermouths fall into the categories of sweet and red or dry and white, there are several styles available in most liquor stores and wine shops, and within each category, there's room for exploration.
Boissiere Dry ($8/1 liter) Very light and floral, with a brisk aroma of roses, it has a surprisingly bright, sweet flavor for a style of vermouth that is typically crisper and drier. Use for: A refreshing aperitif served chilled with a lemon twist, or a lively Vermouth Cassis.
Carpano Antica Formula ($26/1 liter) A classic rosso vermouth, the Carpano Antica Formula has a dry, earthy aroma redolent of citrus peel and dried flowers. Its flavor is deep and rich, with notes of caramel and vanilla and a complex herbaceous character that is initially sweet, but finishes with a lingering bitterness tinged with cinnamon and warm spices. Use for: Excellent as an aperitif; makes a memorable Manhattan.
Carpano Punt e Mes ($22/750ml) Very dark in color and with mild, earthy aroma, Punt e Mes has a rich mouthfeel and a flavor that gets right down to business: a light sweetness is followed by an assertive, cascading bitterness that pushes this distinctive vermouth close to the category of Italian amari. Use for: Assertively flavored cocktails such as the rye whiskey-rich Red Hook or for a Negroni with an extra-bitter edge.
Martini & Rossi Rosso ($7/750ml) The world's biggest-selling rosso is a good mixing vermouth, but for aperitifs there are better options out there. With a rich aroma of molasses and cinchona, it has a full-bodied but simple sweetness quickly followed by a single-note bitterness with a satisfyingly long finish. Use for: A classic Negroni, or for cocktails that need a gentle touch of sweetness and spice, such as the Floridita.
Noilly Prat Extra Dry ($7/750ml) Noilly Prat's Extra Dry vermouth defined the category and remains one of the better vermouths on the market. The vermouth has a very light, crisp aroma and body, with a mildly floral, oak-tinged flavor touched with hints of chamomile and lemon peel. Use for: A martini; served chilled, it's also a satisfying aperitif.
Vya Extra Dry ($10/375ml) This California vermouth has a richly floral aroma with a touch of menthol, and a grassy, earthy flavor that is dry and crisp. Rich and expressive where other dry vermouths are brisk and lean. Use for: A memorable aperitif or a potently flavored martini.
Vya Sweet ($10/375ml) Distinctively aromatic with notes of molasses and licorice, the Vya Sweet is very rich and herbaceous, with a medium body and a long-lasting bitterness that is lighter and gentler than most other sweet vermouths. Use for: An unbeatable Duplex, when mixed with Vya Extra Dry and a dash of orange bitters (see recipe at left).
Makes 1 drink
Older bar manuals have many similar mixtures of vermouth and bitters; this cocktail features both sweet and dry styles of vermouth.
- 1 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
- 1 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- -- Lemon twist (optional)
Instructions: Combine sweet and dry vermouths and bitters in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; a twist of lemon peel over the drink is a nice touch.
Note: To minimize dilution, the vermouths may instead be chilled in the bottle and combined without ice prior to serving.
Makes 1 drink
To best counterbalance the powerful flavor of absinthe, Jamie Boudreau recommends using a full-strength bourbon such as George T. Stagg, and a robust vermouth such as Carpano Antica Formula or Vya.
- 1 ounce bourbon
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1 ounce absinthe
Instructions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Makes 1 drink
A vintage Parisian cocktail unearthed by David Wondrich and recommended by Jamie Boudreau as a low-alcohol drink well suited for a summer evening.
- 2 ounces dry vermouth
- 1 ounce kirsch
- 1 teaspoon raspberry syrup or Chambord
- -- 1 maraschino or brandied cherry (optional)
Instructions: Combine vermouth, kirsch, and syrup or Chambord in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.


text: < Development | Tutorials | KDE3 Revision as of 04:25, 20 February 2007 (view source)Mpyne (talk | contribs) (Commit initial migration of Makefile.am howto) Revision as of 00:40, 21 February 2007 (view source) Mpyne (talk | contribs) m (Development/Documentation/HOWTOs/Makefile.am moved to Development/Tutorials/KDE3/Makefile.am: Consistency with current policy for KDE3-related documentation.)Newer edit → (No difference) Revision as of 00:40, 21 February 2007 Tip Note: This page deals with content related to KDE 3. If you are developing for KDE 4, this information might not be valid anymore. Warning This page needs to be migrated. You can find the original page and its subpages at http://developer.kde.org/documentation/other/makefile_am_howto/en/index.html. Please make use of subpages to structure the wiki, e.g. Policies/Packaging Policy. Read Help:Contents for further details. If in doubt, join #kde-www on irc.kde.org. Contents 1 Introduction 2 Makefile.am for a simple program 2.1 bin 2.2 _SOURCES 2.3 _LDADD 2.4 _LDFLAGS 2.5 AM_CPPFLAGS 2.6 KDE_CXXFLAGS 2.7 METASOURCES Introduction This is the Makefile.am HOWTO (English version). Makefile.am is a file used to describe how to build KDE programs. Usually each subdirectory in a KDE module has a Makefile.am. As you may guess from the name, it is supposed to be similar to a Makefile, but it processed first by the KDE build system, then by the autotools to generate the final Makefile. This is the build system for KDE 3. KDE 4 uses a different build system, CMake. Makefile.am for a simple program # Notice the bin_ prefix. bin_PROGRAMS = kdialog kdialog_SOURCES = kdialog.cpp widgets.cpp kdialog_LDADD = $(LIB_KIO) kdialog_LDFLAGS = $(all_libraries) $(KDE_RPATH) AM_CPPFLAGS = $(all_includes) METASOURCES = AUTO bin bin means that you want to create something that will install into the bin directory of KDE. *_PROGRAMS means you want to compile a program. Use _SCRIPTS for scripts, etc. Then you can see the name of the program, which is what is used in the lines below to define what has to be done to create that program. _SOURCES You list all of the source files that need to be compiled for each of the PROGRAMS you have listed. Don't include header files or other files that don't need processed in the build procedure. _LDADD This variable is used for each program to define the libraries that the program links to. You can use three types of libraries references: A library reference as you would pass it to gcc. (Like -lfoo) A relative path to a Libtool library (Like ../path/to/thelib.la). A library macro set by the KDE build system. (Like $(LIB_KIO)). It is recommended to use the macro version if set by the KDE build system. If a library (A) depends on another library (B), you don't need to specify the dependency library (B). But if you do, (e.g. because the dependencies on A might change), make sure you specify A before B. So usually libtool .la libraries are first, then $(LIB_*), then -lfoo if any. _LDFLAGS This defines any flags that need to be passed to the linker. Note that the flags do not get passed to the linker by using _LDADD! These can be -L flags (to change the library search path, usually set by configure into a variable). $(all_libraries) contains all the -L flags necessary to find Qt and KDE, so you must have it there. For programs you should also add $(KDE_RPATH), it helps to get installed programs to find their libraries without having to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH. AM_CPPFLAGS These specify additional compilation flags. This must contain $(all_includes). This is also where other compile-time flags like -DWITHOUTBUGS and -I$(srcdir)/subdir go. Note Insert -I directives before $(all_includes). This ensures that your own headers will be used, not some older installed version. Note that $(srcdir) and . (the build directory) are always included automatically. You may find that Makefile.am files in KDE still use INCLUDES (the old name for AM_CPPFLAGS), but AM_CPPFLAGS is the recommended way to add include paths and other compilation flags. KDE_CXXFLAGS There is also KDE_CXXFLAGS. It is always appended to the end of the other flags used in the build, so it can undo one of the flags set by the KDE build framework. This is the case for exception handling support, which is disabled by default. If you want to use exception handling you need to write KDE_CXXFLAGS = $(USE_EXCEPTIONS) METASOURCES METASOURCES = AUTO is the magic line that makes the KDE build system take care of the moc files automatically. It is the recommended way if all your .cpp/.cc files include their .moc file (this is the best way since it gives faster compilation), or if you are compiling a single binary/library. In case you have multiple binaries/libraries in the same directory, you might need to use the longer form of libfoo_la_METASOURCES = myfile.moc myotherfile.moc mybinary_METASOURCES = someotherfile.moc Retrieved from "https://techbase.kde.org/index.php?title=Development/Tutorials/KDE3/Makefile.am&oldid=8160" Categories: DocumentationKDE3To be moved Content is available under Creative Commons License SA 4.0 unless otherwise noted.


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So apparently buying a Seattle penthouse is back en vouge. Check out these 2 condos that closed this week.
Penthouse 1 | 1521 Second Ave
You remember this unit from a few days ago? We posted about the significance of this particular sale and how there have only been 3 other units above $4,500,000 to sell since 2010. Penthouse 1 at 1521 is one of the most luxurious units I've seen. It has 3,600sf with a 601sf private rooftop deck. Big views through the floor to ceiling glass and enormous kitchen and state of the art upgrades. Lets be honest – its really cool.
Penthouse 2 | Olive 8
We have written about this unit in the past. It has 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a den and has 2,753sf of living space (2,242 interior and 529 exterior). It sits atop the brand new Olive 8 condominiums and has a pretty dynamite view overlooking Capitol Hill, South Lake Union and the Seattle skyline.
It was once listed as high as $3,150,000 – recently selling for $2,250,000. See the floor plan below:


text: Existing Users Log InE-mail or EmailPassword Remember Me Forgot password? Click here to resetNew User? Click here to register New User RegistrationFirst Name*Last Name*Phone Number:*Email*Confirm Email*Password*Confirm Password*Membership Type*$15 Membership for 2018 Calendar Year - includes all electronic newsletter's for the current calendar yearYour e-mail address will only be used for mailing the monthly news letter and periodic notices about UVTAGG monthly meeting changes and occasional items of interest to genealogist. Your address will not be given or sold to any other entity. Check here if you agree.**Required field


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Aerie Lace Boyshort
Browse all deals at American Eagle
See more in Intimates & Underwear
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with American Eagle to confirm actual price & availability.
- Be the first to comment!
American Eagle
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American Eagle
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Adrian, MI 49221


text:
Talks with free agent Scott Podsednik have taken two steps back. According to a source, enough so that Williams is looking elsewhere for a leadoff hitter right now.
"Do we need Pods, yes," Guillen said of the situation. "Do we want him? Yes. But we have to make the best deal for this organization. That's not my problem right now. That's on Kenny, Rick and [board chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] to decide."
November 20, 2009
Talks about bringing back Scott Podsednik take two steps back
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Premier Painting is based in central Dublin and serves both residential and commercial clients throughout the capital. The services provided by the company include exterior and interior house painting, commercial painting, plastering, and wallpaper hanging.
What set Premier Painting apart from competing for decorating services is their focus on quality and a keen eye for detail whilst keeping their prices affordable for their customers. This is unlike their competitors who increased their prices considerably during Ireland's housing boom. In addition, the company is staffed by fully insured professional painters who have over 10 years' experience in the industry, which provides their customers with peace of mind.
For their house painting services, Premier Painting offers clients with interior and exterior painting, and include a thorough initial inspection of their homes and a free no obligation quote. Once the client decides to go ahead with the project, the company carries out the work through to ensure it is completed to high standards. Premier Painting does this through sand blasting and chemical stripping the walls to remove any imperfections and apply epoxy coatings. This gives the walls a flawless finish when they are painted.
For all painting jobs, Premier Painting supplies and uses high-quality paints to guarantee that the project is completed to the highest standard. Paint types supplied include premium, super premium, and ultra-premium.
Premier Painting also offers specialist plastering services, which includes top coat plaster surfaces to make sure the walls and ceilings of clients' homes are smooth and workable and hide any perfections. The company's plastering service also allows walls to be prepared for all kinds of restoration and redecorating projects.
In addition, Premier Painting provides commercial painting services working on a wide variety of projects including new construction of inner city apartment blocks and commercial developments by leading building companies. The company also offers a wallpaper hanging service and provides a range of wallcoverings including vinyl and silk wallpapers.
The decorating firm's focus on quality has earned them many positive reviews. For example, John says, "The house looks great. Very professional, prompt, and trustworthy team of painters and we are very happy with the result."
Prospective customers can find out more about Premier Painting's services at www.premierpainting.ie
Media Contact
Company Name: Premier Painting
Contact Person: Ion Buzgan
Email: email@example.com
Address:40 ALLENDALE RISE
City: DUBLIN 15
State: D15 W3Y0
Country: Ireland
Website: http://premierpainting.ie/


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GREENSBURG, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana special prosecutor said Thursday he has submitted a motion to dismiss the misdemeanor illegal possession charges against a couple who nursed an injured white-tailed deer back to health and kept it on their farm for two years, saying he did so at the request of the state agency that first requested the charges.
Decatur County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Brown said in an interview with The Associated Press that he had faxed to the court a request to dismiss the charges against Connersville police officer Jeff Counceller and his wife, Jennifer, and mailed a copy to the couple. The move came six days after the Department of Natural Resources asked that the charges be dropped.
"The DNR's request played a significant role," he said.
Brown said he couldn't comment further, saying the reasoning for the decision would be included in a special prosecutor's report he hopes to have completed by Friday.
The Councellers said they were pleased with the decision.
"I don't think any state law should ever punish an act of kindness and compassion, especially when it saves an animal," Jennifer Counceller said.
Jeff Counceller called the decision "the best outcome to this situation."
The DNR sought the charges after the deer the Councellers rescued went missing last summer on the day the DNR planned to euthanize it. Jeff Counceller had earlier said he found the deer in 2010 curled up on a front porch with maggot-infested puncture wounds, so he took it back to his family's 17-acre farm in Connersville to try to save it. The couple named the fawn Dani and kept it in a fenced enclosure.
The Councellers said they had intended to release the deer once it was strong enough to survive on its own. They tried to find it a home at animal rescue operations, petting zoos and deer farms, but no one would take it. They applied for a rescue permit but were turned down.
DNR filed a report in Fayette County, which sought a special prosecutor because Counceller deals with prosecutors in Fayette County as part of his job.
The DNR announced last week it would ask prosecutors to dismiss the charge, which carries a penalty of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, after Gov. Mike Pence asked the agency to review the case.
Thousands of people outraged by the case have signed an online petition calling for the charges to be dropped.


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Comment Intel has used the platform of its developer conference to reveal a roadmap for future wireless connectivity that will take in at least three different types of broadband connectivity for PCs.
Intel has long made it clear that it will support WiMAX in its next generation onboard radio chips, but is now also adding a 3G HSDPA option, in collaboration with Nokia.
This will mean that sometime in 2007 top end Intel laptops will be able to work with the new 802.11n Wi-fi system, with WiMAX and with cellular networks, straight out of the box.
And this time this is no fly-by night partial roadmap from one small group inside Intel, this is a straight up announcement to developers telling them to get ready for a new era of permanent PC connectivity.
This announcement sends many messages. It says that Intel has finally understood that the owners of HSDPA networks are also likely to be the big WiMAX users, and may want to offer roaming capability, in effect some UMTS cellcos will go down the WiMAX route, others down the HSDPA route, and some will use both technologies in different ways.
Whatever they use, Intel is now making their life easier to sign up new customers, since laptops and anything else Intel comes up with, such as palm sized computers, promised in the same timeframe, will have the onboard radio equipment to make any kind of connection that is required.
But it also means that Nokia and Intel have just undercut an entire body of plug-in card suppliers that have made it their main business offering PCMCIA and USB cards offering connectivity. Intel is going to control overnight just as many radio chips, possibly more, than any single handset maker.
Intel will come to dominate onboard PC radio chips in the same way that it dominates motherboards, in the same way it took over the client Wi-Fi chip market, by creating Centrino in the first place.
The other big change that is coming is the feeling of always being connected. This time it is PCs that genuinely are always connected, even when traveling, and that in turn should have a profound effect on the way that customers work and consume entertainment on their PCs.
The increase in the speed of all forms of connectivity, with HSDPA now at around 1.5 Mbps rising later to 14 Mbps in subsequent generations, and WiMAX flexible with most network likely to be around the speed of fixed DSL, and the shorter range 802.11n ramping up to 100 Mbps.
Intel outlined to the Developer Forum the Kedron family of chips, including a dualmode Wi-Fi/WiMAX chipset and one supporting 100Mbps plus 802.11n, both due in 2007 and demonstrated the next generation Centrino Duo platform, scheduled for introduction in the first half of 2007, which will improve upon the Intel Core 2 Duo processor by offering new power saving capabilities and a faster front-side bus from 667MHz up to 800MHz, which is all about offering greater energy efficiency to save on the laptop battery.
The product will contain a new Wi-Fi radio that will be compliant with the emerging 802.11n specification.
To ensure that its 802.11n capable chipset will interwork with other pre-standard 802.11n products, Intel is carrying out cooperative testing with Wi-Fi equipment makers Netgear, DLink, Linksys and Buffalo. Also being tested is Ofer-R, a product that will offer the world's first combined Wi-Fi and WiMAX radio chipset by 2008.
The new Centrino will add some Intel vPro capabilities currently available on business desktop PCs, such as Active Management Technology to improve asset management, system security and availability.
The new systems will also include Intel's flash memory-based accelerator, and a new integrated graphics core. The Santa Rosa chip is based on the Core 2 Duo chips for ultramobile PCs, and these will consume half as much power as Intel's current mobile designs but at one-quarter the size.
Copyright © 2006, Faultline
Faultline is published by Rethink Research, a London-based publishing and consulting firm. This weekly newsletter is an assessment of the impact of the week's events in the world of digital media. Faultline is where media meets technology. Subscription details here.


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Syosset dad Robert Sand agrees to pay $1.2M in child support
A Syosset man described last year by the federal government as its "most wanted deadbeat" parent pleaded guilty to criminal charges Thursday and agreed to pay the $1.2 million he owed in child support from two marriages.
Businessman Robert Sand, 50, pleaded guilty before Judge Joseph Bianco in U.S. District Court in Islip to two counts of failing to pay child support.
Sand had been a fugitive for more than a decade when he was arrested in November while attempting to enter the Philippines without identification. He was extradited to the United States in December, but authorities said he knew investigators were closing in on him after tracking him to Thailand.
"In essence, he got tired of running," Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Bode said in court Thursday.
Sand's attorney, Glenn Obedin of Central Islip, echoed that. "Mr. Sand wants to do the appropriate thing to set things right, and he's taken the first step in doing just that," Obedin said. "Mr. Sand is a capable person, and given the opportunity to work, I am confident he will obtain good employment and pay off his debt."
Sand admitted he fled to Florida and later left the country in an effort to avoid arrest warrants issued in 2000 by Nassau County Family Court and in 2002 by the federal government. He was indicted in 2009 on two counts of failure to pay child support.
He faces up to 41 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services established a website -- https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/child-support-enforcement/ -- in January 2012 to identify the most wanted deadbeat parent, and Sand had been No. 1 on the list for a time.
The current "most wanted deadbeat" parent is Kenneth Jones of Tacoma, Wash., who owes $259,000, is the subject of an arrest warrant and is believed to be in either Australia or Hong Kong.
Sand had lived in Syosset and was in the auto auction business, earning between $500,000 to $600,000 annually in the early 1990s, according to court documents.
With William Murphy


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Career Profile: Tom Repine
Education Specialist, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Morgantown, WV
Education:B.S., Earth and Space Science Education/General Science, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; M.A., Geoscience/Geology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Ed.D., Curriculum & Instruction/Science Education, West Virginia University.
Tom Repine provided the information for this profile for the 2004 Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences Workshop.
Jump down to: Description of current position * Career path * Advice for graduate students
Description of current positionAs Education Specialist my task is to provide professional development opportunities to West Virginia K-12 science teachers. To this end, I am also the Program Manager for RockCamp. This program provides sustained opportunities for teachers to engage in geology/earth science experiences. I am responsible for the fiscal and operational and educational aspects of the program.
What do you like best about your current work?Adult education and working with science educators. I am constantly amazed at the ability of most of these individuals. They face the same occupational problems we all do, and many more. More specifically, my position offers a lot of freedom and opportunity for creativity. Being able to watch how numerous opportunities have allowed some teachers to expand their abilities and interest in geology to the point where they have become competent geologists in their own right has been fun, interesting, and illustrative. Also, I find the ability to work with educators from local universities vitally important and interesting to maintaining a successful program.
What is most challenging about your current work?Money and philosophy and enabling. The effort to obtain funding is an ongoing battle. The politics, both externally and internally within our agency, to obtain funding are most frustrating. Surprisingly, the problem is not as bad with outside funding sources. For example, I have been successful in working with politicians at the state level and in getting in small grants. A significant portion of my problem seems to reside in a philosophic difference commonly found between professional scientists and professional educators. Being both, I have (I like to think I do) have a boarder view of how and why science knowledge should be disseminated. To that end, I bring to my job a completely non-traditional view. Finally, my job is really that of an "enabler." How can I find a way to provide an extensive number of teachers with not just new opportunities but opportunities that build upon previous ones? To this end, I must be extremely careful about whom I ask to help work with the teachers.
Which experiences that you had before do you find most useful in doing your job?My undergraduate degree in education provided me with three things: (1) a profound desire to be an educator, at some level, (2) the understanding that generalists and science "popularizers" have a role and place in science, and (3) an acceptance among the teachers I work with because we share a commonality of experience.
What do you see as the future of this career field?I consider my position an anomaly. I was able to convince the agency there was a need. I was willing to take on the task and convince them that the outcome would be beneficial to the agency. I am an informal educator who has carved out a niche. If that niche continues to exist within this agency after I leave if still open to speculation.
Are there any myths about your job that you would like to help dispel?I think there is a myth around content and teaching ability. College professors assume they can teach because they know the content. They also assume they can teach teachers how to teach. My professional development mantra for K-12 teachers is to provide ideas that they must modify for inclusion in their unique classroom environment. This applies to content and activities. I have spent much time trying to find and work with the few geologists who can actually do this. I find that in my position as a generalist often allows me to more easily explain and simplify concepts for others. As a result, the specialist's knowledge is not always required, and when required, must often be edited or represented. This can lead to problems with associates.
Career pathMy goal was to be a middle school science teacher. As a generalist, I felt this was the best place me. Suffice to say, my employment as an eighth grade teacher changed that dream. So, I returned to school to get a masters degree. That degree enabled me to obtain a position as a coal geologist with the West Virginia Geological Survey. I maintained this position for 17 years. In 1994, looking for a way to get back into education, I was able to convince the agency director that a permanent educational outreach program would be beneficial to our statewide public relations. With that approval, I was able to build the current program. My interest in doing what I wanted to do (be an educator), and finding an opportunity to do it, came down to a desire to bring something new to a traditional scientific institution. By doing this, I essentially developed a position with more freedom to do what I wanted as I wanted (within limitations).
Advice for graduate studentsBe creative in promoting not only personal talent but also the benefit to the organization. Institutionalized informal education (museums, specific higher education programs, etc.) already exist. However, if the goal is to build a new program within a traditional organization, the most important component is the benefit to the organization. And, the willingness to keep reminding them of it (i.e, be a polite pest!). Also, I have found that I can more effectively deliver my product by surrounding myself with a small team of very trusted people from both within and without. Allegiances with other institutions go a long way to formalizing programmatic respect.
On personal choices and careersFor many years, especially since I got back to the educational field, my profession has been my life. Without this kind of commitment, to me, it would just be a job. For me, the trick is recognizing this truism. I can then proceed with the mindset that doing what I do provides the ability to be creative, do some travel (even if only local), and actually enjoy what I do. When I reach the point where it is no longer enjoyable, then I will reconsider whether I wish to continue or try something else.


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Well hello! I'm loving all of the suggestions (and empathizers) to the paper dilemma! (Dun dun duuunnnn.)
Number 9,324 I love blogging – you peeps get me. :)
Reason 9,325 that I love blogging – because when something's on my mind, I tend to yuck it up on my virtual notepad…this blog. And you guys put up with it. :) I've had a bit of an epiphany lately and I was inspired to write about it tonight.
It's a big one…and it's about time. It only took 35 years for it to happen.
I've decided to GROW UP.
Not too much, mind you. Cause grown ups don't say "Squeezaaays" and "cauuute." I'm guessing they don't anyway. (I have it on good authority they do say "lurve" though.)
I guess it started when we started to get serious about paying off our mountain of debt. The more we've paid off, the closer we've gotten to becoming debt free – the more mature we've become. That whole "only spend what you have" thing kind of forces that.
It's made me (us) be more accountable, spend wiser, delay gratification – all that annoying grown up crap. :)
A few weeks ago I realized I needed to do that in another area in my life as well. You see, I felt like I was growing – not up, but OUT. (No, I'm not pregnant.) ;)
It wasn't so much the holiday weight that we all feel – I've just been putting on weight for months now.
Make that years.
No one I know sees it like I do, of course. But you know how that goes -- we're our own worst critics. And I just felt like a SLUG. You know what I mean? Like a puffy slug. Not pretty. Or fun.
But it wasn't until I was visiting our family doc a few weeks ago (for my second case of strep throat in six weeks) that it hit me…I have to start taking better care of myself.
I mentioned to the doctor that I felt like I was gaining weight like crazy, and we had an interesting talk about it. I told him I wasn't doing anything different, but felt like I was gaining by the month.
And he said something that caused one of those "LIGHT.BULB." (name that movie!) moments. His response?
"Well, that's the point – you're not doing anything different."
I'm getting older and I can't keep doing what I've always done. (I know 35 is still young, believe me. But 35 is not 25. And it's certainly not 17. Dang it!)
I tell you what – I walked out of that appointment a different person. It finally hit me – I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.
I'm pretty much addicted to soda:
(Oh sweet, sweet nectar.)
And I walked out of that doc's office and gave up soda. I've tried it before and couldn't do it for long. This time, it was cake. Almost twenty-something years of (at least) two sodas a day, and I just stopped.
I thought it would be hard, but something in me clicked this time. Every once and a while I'll crave a soda and get one, but most of the time it doesn't even taste good. The odd times it does, I just drink a tiny bit and that's all I need.
More than three weeks in and I get the craving for it less and less.
I want to grow up and take care of my body. I take care of everyone else – our child, my husband (as much as he'll let me!) and our HOUSE. But I don't take time to take care of me.
I don't know what's hit me, but I'm tired of it.
So for the last three weeks, I've reintroduced myself to this one and her DVDs:
I'm not liking her very much right now…but I might in a couple months. If I can walk then.
I've been doing this again:
Aww, look how cute I look!
I kid! That's not me. Yet. (Someday I'll look that happy on the treadmill.)
And today, I did something I have dreaded for years. YEARS.
I got a mammogram.
Yes, I'm only 35 and I got my first mammogram. It's not as unusual as you might think. I had a bump years ago that turned out to just a fluid-filled cyst (determined through an ultrasound). But because of that, the docs wanted me to get a baseline mammogram at 35 instead of 40.
I got the notice months ago, and kind of ignored it. I didn't make it a priority. I didn't think it applied to me. I thought, I am only 35.
And then a month ago I got news that a dear family member (who is just a few years older than me) found out she has breast cancer. She has a child younger than mine. She has to undergo chemo. She started shopping for wigs.
It's rocked me to my core.
She is my new hero, by the way. Her most amazing attitude inspires me to be a better person – I hope to be like her when I (finish) growing up.
Because of her, I finally scheduled that mammogram.
Was it uncomfortable? Yep. Was it painful? Yep. But the uncomfortable and the painful lasted for mere seconds.
Was it worth it? YES.
It was time for me to act like the wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend that I am. I needed to grow up and started taking steps take care of ME.
This isn't a new year's resolution. It's who I've decided to be from now on. It took me a LONG time to realize I need to put myself FIRST sometimes. I need to eat more responsibly, get more exercise and grow the heck up. :)
I don't know the results of my mammogram yet, but we're obviously praying for a standard letter in the mail next week, and not a call from the doc in a few days. :)
I'm not writing this to preach to any of you. I'm not trying to get anyone to exercise more or at all. I AM asking you to give yourself a few more minutes a day. I do want you to ask your doctor when you should get your first mammogram. If you're over 40, I want you to schedule your mammogram.
Yes, I'm bossing you around. Yes, I want you to put yourself first, for 20 minutes a day. Or the hour out of your week it will take to get a mammogram.
I'm still a newbie at this, so I'm certainly no expert. But I know something for sure – I'm not going back. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I like it, and I plan to keep it up. :)
**I waffled back and forth about getting this personal on here. I mean, I never even mention the words "b.r.a." or "u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r." on this blog, just because of the wackos out there. IfyouknowwhatI'msayin. ;)
But I decided to put on my big girl u.n.d.i.e.s and just do it – write it and hit publish. I don't hesitate to hit publish much, but this one has my finger hovering. :)
If it gets just one of you to make more time to take care of YOU for just a few minutes a day, it'll be worth it.
And now…I am hitting…publish.


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In case you were somehow confused by the recent set photos Vin Diesel has been sending out, Universal Pictures has announced that principal photography has officially begun on Riddick. The press release provides an updated synopsis and casting info. We knew that Diesel would be joined by Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff, and Jordi Molla, but now Bokeem Woodbine and David Bautista have been confirmed as cast members. The film also stars Matt Nable, Conrad Pla, Raoul Trujillo, Nolan Funk, and Keri Hilson.
Hit the jump for the press release.
Here's the press release. I've bolded the updated synopsis.
Universal Pictures, One Race Films and Radar Pictures announced today that principal photography has begun on the action-driven, sci-fi thriller Riddick. The shoot will take place in Montreal.
The latest chapter of the groundbreaking saga that began with 2000's hit sci-fi film Pitch Black and 2004's The Chronicles of Riddick reunites writer/director David Twohy (A Perfect Getaway, The Fugitive) and star Vin Diesel (the Fast and Furious franchise, xXx). Diesel reprises his role as the antihero Riddick, a dangerous, escaped convict wanted by every bounty hunter in the known galaxy.
The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he's encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty.
The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won't leave the planet without Riddick's head as their trophy.
Riddick also sees the return of Karl Urban (Star Trek, The Bourne Supremacy) as Vaako and introduces to the series Jordi Molla (Bad Boys II, Colombiana) as Santana, the arrogant captain of the mercenary ship; Matt Nable (Killer Elite) as Boss Johns, a man looking for answers; Katee Sackhoff (TV's Battlestar Galactica) as the Nordic mercenary Dahl; and Bokeem Woodbine (upcoming Total Recall) as bounty hunter Moss. Rounding out the cast are Dave Bautista (The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption), Conrad Pla (Immortals), Raoul Trujillo (Apocalypto), Nolan Funk (TV's Aliens in America) and two-time Grammy Award-nominated singer Keri Hilson.
The film is produced by Vin Diesel (upcoming Fast & Furious 6, Fast Five) and executive produced by Samantha Vincent (Fast Five, Fast & Furious) for One Race Films. Ted Field (The Last Samurai, Pitch Black) produces for Radar Pictures, while Mike Drake (Dream House, A Nightmare on Elm Street) also executive produces.
Twohy is joined on the film by a talented behind-the-scenes team, including director of photography David Eggby (Pitch Black, Mad Max), production designer Joseph Nemec III (A Perfect Getaway, The Hills Have Eyes, Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and editor Tracy Hall (Limitless, A Perfect Getaway, The Flock).
The Riddick franchise has also produced two popular video games: The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. As well, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released the anime DVD The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury.
Riddick, which is shooting in Montreal, Canada, is a One Race Films production. The film will be released by Universal Pictures in the U.S., and Lionsgate is handling international sales.


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In 2009, the Los Angeles Galaxy's goal production was top-heavy.
Landon Donovan led the team with 12 goals. Next on the list was Edson Buddle, who had less than half of Donovan's total. In fact, the second- and third-leading scorers combined for just eight goals.
Mike Magee is in the mix to contribute goals for the Galaxy this year and could help take some of the scoring load off Donovan's shoulders.
"I think the biggest problem last year was at the beginning of the year," Magee said. "Obviously, at the end of the year we weren't pumping them in but at the same time we were winning a lot of games 1-0. That was just the style we played - counterattacking soccer."
Entering the 2010 MLS season, the Galaxy's biggest need appears to be in the goals department and finding a consistent scorer not named Donovan.
Magee showed he can be a threat during MLS Cup '09 when he scored the Galaxy's only goal in the match. But during the regular season, Magee scored just twice and joined a group of five Galaxy players with two goals.
Still, Magee insists the club's scoring totals are related to the team's commitment to team defense. Without the necessity to score more goals, the Galaxy was able to kill off games in which they took the lead. In fact, Los Angeles earned shutout victories in five of their last nine matches in 2009.
Conversely, when the need arose,the Galaxy responded.
"In games where we needed to score more goals, we did," Magee said. "I'm not too worried about it."
Donovan will miss part of this season due to the World Cup, but Magee says there is plenty of quality behind Donovan to make up for his absence. The back-up plan starts with Buddle, who netted 15 goals two years ago, his third straight season with double-digit goal totals.
As for Magee, he is just looking to find his niche to contribute.
"We've got a great group of guys and a lot of good players," Magee said. "I hope I'm not battling Edson [Buddle] because he's a ridiculously good player. But I'll find my spot somewhere."


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ORLANDO, Fla. – Head coach Paul Settles of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team has been named College Coach of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA). The USPTA announced its 2013 award winners on Friday, Sept. 27 at its annual World Conference in Florida.
This is the second "Coach of the Year" award that Settles has earned for the 2012-13 season. In May, Settles was named Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Coach of the Year after leading the Stags to a second place finish in 2013 at the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championships, the program's best finish since 1994. The 2013 squad reached No. 1 in the nation for the first time in program history after defeating Kenyon 9-0 and defending national champion Emory 8-1 on consecutive days. CMS recorded a school record 30 wins in 2013. The team also won an eighth-consecutive SCIAC title this year, going undefeated against NCAA Division III competition during the regular season.
The 2013 season was the 10th season as head coach of the Stags for Settles and during his tenure he has led the team to a 237-67 overall record. In conference matches under Settles, the Stags have been even more impressive with nine SCIAC titles and a conference record of 90-4, including eight seasons in a row without a SCIAC loss. In 2009 Settles was named West Region ITA Coach of the Year.
The USPTA honored those who stand out and go above and beyond in all aspects of the tennis industry at the annual USPTA World Conference on Friday. The USPTA National Awards program is conducted annually. Nominations are submitted by the organization's 17 divisions and by individuals. Recipients in each category are decided by the USPTA's awards committee.
CMS begins the 2014 regular season on Thursday, Feb. 20 at home vs. Westmont and Vanguard.
Become a fan of CMS Athletics on Facebook: AthleticsCMS Follows CMS Athletics on Twitter: @AthleticsCMS CMS Athletics on Instagram: cmsathletics Watch CMS Athletics videos on YouTube: ClaremontMuddScripps


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Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston via Crowdrise
April 03, 2012
BENEFITING: Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston
EVENT: 2012 Boston Marathon
EVENT DATE: Apr 16, 2012
The South Boston Boys & Girls Club Marathon Team will support the Southie Club's proven and critical youth development programs. The "Club" has been serving the community on the corner of West 6th and F Streets since 1940.
Training for a marathon for months, then running 26.2 miles, is a difficult and daunting challenge.
Being a kid these days is difficult.
Being a teen in an urban setting is daunting.
Being a young person in the city, making positive choices in a negative environment, is a challenge.
So we run for them.
The South Boston Club serves over 900 diverse youth ages 6-18 on a regular basis, with 220-250 attending daily. 84% of our kids are very-low or low-income (66% very-low, 18% low). 32% of our kids are from families with less than $13,000 annual household income. Only 37% of our members live with both parents. We focus on enhancing the positive self-identity and skill development of our kids and teens.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America recently completed a Three-Year Longitudinal Study that demonstrates the very real impact Clubs have on the kids who need us. This study was professionally administered and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston was a key participant so we can firmly say these results strike close to home. The study found that kids and teens who attend Boys & Girls Clubs experience increased Academic Confidence, School Effort, Future Plans (connection to future), and Knowledge of Right vs. Wrong. They also experienced decreased Skipping of School, Associating with Negative Peers, Aggressive Behavior, Early Pregnancies, and Contact with Weapons, Alcohol, Smoking, or Drugs.
Youth that participated regularly in our Summer Camp programs were evaluated using the SAYO Evaluation System developed by the Massachusetts Department of Education. 94% of these youth were assessed as being better prepared for school.
Running a marathon is no easy feat.
Being a kid in urban Boston is not easy.
So we run for them.
Make an offline donation by sending a check to South Boston Boys & Girls Clubs, 230 West 6th Street, South Boston, MA 02127. Please note "Marathon" and the runner's name in the memo line.
Questions/Comments? !
Harry Duvall


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A Nice Baby BoSox Player
The world might be ending. I never thought I would say nice things about a potential Boston player.
I am just about finished with my summer internship with the Hudson Valley Renegades these past two nights have been eventful, in terms of speaking with more players. I wrote the other night about the Staten Island Yankee who interestingly enough hates the big Yankees and how he wanted to go home.
To close out the season the Renegades are playing the Lowell Spinners, a farm team of the Boston Red Sox, in a three game series. In game one on Friday night, the Spinners beat the 'Gades 11-3.
At one point in the game, the Renegades pitcher came set to deliver to one of the Spinners. Right before he was about to throw the pitch, the batter called time and stepped out of the box. Our man on the mound said, "Are you going to get in the box and hit or stand there and watch it all night?"
That didn't go over very well.
After that exchange there was a little bit of a standoff between both sides. The Renegades stayed in their dugout (albeit their defensive players were on the field, obviously) but the Spinners looked ready to pounce. They all came out of their dugout and stared down the Renegades before order was restored.
However, one player toward the end of the dugout looked at me. I was working in the third base pit, standing less than five feet away from him. He smiled at me and some of the other interns who were working. One of my friends smiled back and jokingly said, "You guys need backup?"
He couldn't help but laugh.
I wound up talking with him for the better part of the night. His name is Garrett Rau, an up-and-coming reliever. Honestly, he was a nice guy. He was asking me where the best local bars were, because he was contemplating a night out after the game. I told him about a bar down the street from the Stadium and gave him the drink prices.
"$3.50 for a bottle of Bud Lite," I told him.
He nodded, as if to say, "Not bad."
I saw Rau again tonight, as I was back in the third base pit for tonight's game. The Renegades won 6-2.
"Did you go out last night?" I asked.
"No, I was just too tired to go out, so I nixed the idea," he replied.
"I hear you," I said, sympathizing with the exhausted feeling after last night's game.
We chatted for a little while longer about the silly games that take place on the field in between innings. The Renegades have a different theme every night and tonight was (no joke) "Child Please Night." We honored the end of summer and the start of the NFL season with different football style games on the field.
One contest was the touchdown celebration game. We picked contestants out of the crowd and gave them a football. They had to do their best touchdown celebration and the winner was decided by loudest ovation from the crowd.
None of the celebrations were all that original.
Rau looked at me said, "That was lame."
I agreed.
"They should have come up with something cool, like Terrell Owens falling asleep on the ball," I said.
Rau agreed. He then said that we at least change up the games every night. According to him, the interns at the Spinners' ballpark in Massachusetts conduct the same contests every night and the players get tired of them.
It's good to know we are at least providing everyone with new material on a nightly basis.
The 'Gades and Spinners will play the rubber game tomorrow night to finish off their 2010 New York Penn League seasons. Rau was a little annoyed about the start time of tomorrow's game. Before the game ended tonight, he asked me what time tomorrow's game started.
"Seven, I think," I answered.
"Great," he sarcastically remarked. "It's our last game of the season and we're going to be starting later than usual."
Normally Sunday games begin at 5:00 but since it's the last game of the year, it starts later.
Perhaps I'll see him again tomorrow, but driving home I got to thinking: is it bad that I was conversing and almost cultivating a friendship with a baby Red Sox player? After all, I am one of the most die-hard Yankee fans there is, so is it wrong for me to be talking to this guy?
I guess it doesn't matter. It's not his fault he was drafted by Boston. It's just like the Staten Island Yankee who hates the Yankees–he is not playing for the team by choice, he is only playing for them because they drafted him.
Maybe one day Rau will make the majors. If he does happen to go all the way and he becomes a member of the Red Sox, I will not like him so much.
But for now, I'll say that he's not a bad guy.


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What is Flaxseed Powder?
The seeds of the Flax (or Linseed) plant have been used throughout history as a source of fibre and fatty acids, containing both soluble and insoluble fibre. It is free of added sugars, soy, dairy, fillers, flavours, and preservatives and is cold milled to ensure the powder isn't damaged during the production process.
Who is Flaxseed Powder Suitable for?
Flax Seed Powder has a nutty taste, is brown in colour and is an excellent supplement for anyone wanting to increase their intake of essential fatty acids or boost their calorie consumption.
The dietary choices of all our customers are extremely important to us. Whilst this product is manufactured using ingredients and processing aids suitable for the vegan diet, please note that dairy powders are also used within the same production facility and cross contamination may occur at very small levels.
Please note that the labelling on this product is provided in English as a minimum. French, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish, Swedish and Finnish may also be present on a product by product basis.
Serving Size - ¼ large scoop (10g)
Servings Per Container - 25 (250g)
Nutritional Information
|Per 100g
|Per Serving
|2571 kJ/620 kcal
|257 kJ/62 kcal
|40 g
|4 g
|of which saturates
|0 g
|0 g
|30 g
|3 g
|of which sugars
|0 g
|0 g
|21 g
|2.1 g
|<0.01 g
|<0.01 g
* Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ/2000 kcal)
The nutritional information is based on the Unflavoured version, when choosing an alternative flavour the nutritional values may vary.
Simply try adding 1/4 of a large scoop (10g) to your shakes, smoothies or juice for a nutritional boost.
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. This product is intended to be used alongside an active lifestyle and a balanced diet. Suitable or vegetarians and vegans.
May also contain gluten, soy, milk and egg.
Unflavoured: Flaxseed Powder (100%)
Key Benefits
- ALA contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol
- Ideal for adding calories to your diet


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A sci-fi thriller, a couple of cult classics, a gumshoe, a love triangle, some messed up folks, and more are here to help get you through the next heat wave.
Source Code
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a soldier taking part in a secret military project that allows someone to live the last eight minutes of another person's life over and over, in this case to help prevent a dirty bomb attack on Chicago. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, read our theatrical review and watch the trailer
Donnie Darko
And the film that helped launch Gyllenhaal to stardom, this cult classic about a troubled teen plagued by visions of a giant bunny who forces him to commit all manner of crimes. Now on Blu-ray, watch the trailer
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
Brandon Routh stars in this comic book adaptation about a P.I. who works a very special beat--the supernatural crime of the Louisiana Bayou. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, watch the trailer
A French-Canadian romance about love triangle--when will people learn? Now on Blu-ray and DVD, watch the trailer
Life During Wartime
Writer-director Todd Solondz offers up a sequel of sorts to his brilliant 1998 effort, "Happiness." Once again, a bunch of interconnected people, all a little to a lot damaged, try to find their way. Features another great turn by Allison Janney. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, read our theatrical review and watch the trailer
A medieval actioner about a a band of Knights Templar who come together to protect a castle against a tyrannical king. Stars Kate Mara, Brian Cox and Paul Giamatti. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, watch the trailer
From director David Schwimmer comes this thriller starring Clive Owen and Catherine Keener as a pair of parents whose teenage daughter is the target of a cyber-stalker. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, watch the trailer
Mao's Last Dancer
Based on the true story of a Chinese dancer who was taken from his family at the age of 11 and forced to train for the national ballet, and would later go on tour to Houston where he falls in love with an American woman. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, read our theatrical review
Animal House
One of the greatest comedies of all time, stars John Belushi in perhaps his greatest film role--if you haven't seen this yet, we're putting you ion double-secret probation--whatever the hell that means. Now on Blu-ray, watch the trailer
Winter in Wartime
A Dutch teen finds himself pulled into the Resistance after aiding a wounded British soldier. Now on Blu-ray and DVD, watch the trailer


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LET'S GO CRAZY: After all the hullabaloo surrounding the Purple One's concert dates (they're moved! they're cancelled! he's adding more!), the big night is finally here: Prince will take the stage at the Izod Center/Meadowlands for the first of two nights of the Welcome 2 America tour in NJ (the second's on Friday) and remind all of us—questionable recent output be damned—why he's royalty. At this writing, tickets are still available. 7:30PM.
DUET: "Somewhere," the new film from writer-director-producer Sofia Coppola, nabbed the Golden Lion—the top prize at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. She'll be at the TimesCenter tonight, TimesTalking with the film's star, Stephen Dorff, who she had in her sights way back when she started writing the role of Johnny Marco, an actor reconnecting with his daughter. 6:30PM.
CHEAP, CHEERFUL: Fred Flare, one of the city's most reliable destinations for quirky gifts that won't melt your plastic, is located way out in Greenpoint, Brooklyn—but its holiday pop-up shop at Jingle is smack dab in downtownish Manhattan, in a storefront at Chelsea Market. Swing in, load up on stocking stuffers, and nosh your way through the Market while you're at it. Monday-Saturday 10:30AM-7PM; Sunday until 6PM, through December 23.
Also tonight: a shopping-and-cocktails party with discounts at Rugby Ralph Lauren, and an evening of readings from the "20 Under 40" authors selected by the New Yorker (including Gary Shteyngart) at 92YTribeca.
See our music picks on the Nonstop Sound blog.


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February 12, 2013 (JUBA) - South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir has ordered the urgent and coordinated deployment of joint police and government troops to border areas with Sudan amid fears of a possible incursion, according to a broadcast by the state-owned South Sudan Television (SSTV) on Tuesday.
- A Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldier stands at attention in Juba (REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic)
The move comes after South Sudan accused its northern neighbour of amassing troops on their common border, in a sign that a peace deal to end hostilities between the two countries is making little headway.
The president gave the orders during a security briefing with the Sudan People's Liberation Army's (SPLA) chief of general staff, General James Hoth Mai, inspector-general of police General Pieng Deng Kuol and Unity state governor Taban Deng Gai.
Gai, who briefed the president on the general security situation, as well as current developments, described the meeting as "fruitful and decisive".
"The government of Sudan is building up troops and using militia groups to attack areas along the border in Unity. The president has positively responded and has asked the chief of general staff and the inspector-general of police to deploy forces to all the border areas so that they provide security and protection of the citizens", Gai said.
Speaking at a press conference in Juba, South Sudan's deputy defence minister Majak D'Agoot described the build-up of forces along border areas in the last two months as "unusual".
"Our forces are in the state of maximum readiness to repel any attack by Khartoum. We will stay in our current positions, we will keep to the terms of the [September] agreement", D'Agoot was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
SSTV showed pictures of the president in discussions at the meeting with Pagan Amum, the secretary-general of the governing Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).
There has been no official statement from Amum or the president about the details of the meeting, although SSTV reported the pair discussed the failure of talks with Sudan and preparations for the convening of the forthcoming extraordinary national convention of the SPLM to discuss a document regarding the basic rules and regulations governing the SPLM as a party.
The African Union-brokered peace deal in September aimed to defuse tensions between the Sudans, however, both nations have failed to set up a demilitarised border zone which would allow for the resumption of oil exports from the landlocked South through Sudanese pipelines, as was agreed in Addis Ababa.
The two countries came close to war last April in the worst border clashes since South Sudan seceded in July 2011 under a peace agreement that ended decades of civil war.
A series of meetings last month in the Ethiopian capital with an AU-led mediation team failed to resolve the contentious issues of Abyei and contested border areas.
Khartoum maintains that there can be no resolution on any of the sticking points agreed in the peace deal unless Juba ends its alleged support to the rebel Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) fighting the Sudanese army in the border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
Landlocked South Sudan was meant to resume oil production last November with the first exports to hit markets by January. But Sudan's insistence on implementing security arrangements first hindered the resumption of oil production in the newborn nation.