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Many companies overlook the ability of productive rivalry to stimulate innovation. That could be a loss: Not only has it been a powerful contributor to innovation in the past, but according to Mark Little, the director of General Electric's Global Research Group, rivalry also has made a difference in his company's efforts to develop better aircraft engines, composite materials, and power generation equipment. Taken together, the two articles that follow suggest that innovation-minded executives whose R&D groups don't employ rivalry should be looking for more opportunities to form teams, appreciate differences in their respective approaches, and conduct market tests. Embedding rivalry in a culture where what's celebrated most is the outcome—a better product or service—can be a powerful positive force.
The art of innovation
Companies looking for new sources of creative energy might want to look backward—to the productive rivalry that catalyzed much of the artistic innovation during the Italian Renaissance.
Business leaders tend to raise their eyebrows when they read about parallels between history and modern management—and for good reason. There are undoubtedly many people who offer better leadership lessons than Attila the Hun, and it is unclear whether Alexander the Great can tell us much about business strategy. So it's with some trepidation that we set forth the premise of this article: that the Italian Renaissance was such an extraordinary period of creativity it can shed light on how to stimulate business innovation.
We're quite conscious of other great eras of innovation—the 18th-century industrial revolution in Great Britain, the late-19th-century emergence of managerial capitalism in the United States, and even the present period of digital innovation. One thing that's striking about the Renaissance, though, is that it took place on a scale not very different from that of many large, modern enterprises. Northern Italy is no larger than the state of Michigan, and at the beginning of the 15th century, the three great centers of Renaissance creativity—Rome, Florence, and Venice—had a combined population of roughly 200,000.1
The ability of a population and region of this size to generate creative output—ranging from the world's largest masonry dome to linear perspective, modern-day portrait painting, technical breakthroughs in glassblowing and bronze casting, the italic type of the Aldine Press, sfumato and chiaroscuro, and the designs in Leonardo's sketchbooks—makes it, in our opinion, intriguing for innovation-minded leaders. What's more, there are some uncanny parallels between what went on during the Renaissance and principles that have proven their worth in R&D organizations—such as collision between diverse experts, providing loose guidelines, and establishing stretch goals.
Less in line with mainstream R&D practices: the degree to which Renaissance creativity was built on professional rivalries—like the ones between Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian—that are commonly viewed as some of the most productive in history. It may be that by overlooking the potential of rivalry, modern R&D organizations are missing an opportunity to promote ground-breaking innovation.
What we've already learned from the Renaissance
Some of the practices that made the Renaissance such a creative period have already been largely integrated into today's R&D labs.
Promoting "collision"
Consider, for example, the popular notion that constant collision between engineers, scientists, and managers will lead to better collaboration and ultimately yield the best ideas. The classic manifestation of collision is the multidisciplinary corporate R&D lab, where innovators of different stripes are gathered together in a single research facility. Among the most famous of these facilities are IBM's Watson Research Center, HP Labs, Bell Labs, and GE's Global Research Center. Virtual spaces, if built correctly, can also be effective for encouraging collision. Take the example of Tata's Innoverse hub. This portal serves as a virtual innovation forum where employees from across Tata's business units can post ideas, comment on them, and then vote on the ones they like the best. In one year it gathered 12,000 ideas, on topics ranging from R&D to management and strategy, several hundred of which have been turned into projects or implemented through operational reforms.2
The concept of collision resonates with the creative energy of the Renaissance. Italy at the time was one of the most urban regions of Europe, and, although small by modern standards, the cities were densely packed centers teeming with painters, craftsmen, and sculptors.3 Rome, for example, attracted flocks of artists from throughout Italy seeking the patronage of the Vatican. The relatively small urban space forced them into frequent and often intense interactions with each other. Artists benefited from the diversity of the colleagues around them, and the high rates of collision with these peers allowed them to learn from each other, exchange ideas and techniques, and build off each others' diverse accomplishments.
Giving researchers their space
Many of the world's greatest inventions have been stumbled on by mistake. Smart R&D managers recognize this and allow their researchers to turn mistaken or unexpected findings into new lines of research, products, or technologies. Recently, there has been much discussion of Google's policy that allows researchers to spend time on their own ideas, projects, or personal development. It's not a new idea. 3M has long allowed its employees to spend 15 percent of their time on projects of their own choosing.4 Similarly, at Tata Consultancy Services, each employee receives 5 hours of a 45-hour work week for personal projects.5
The Renaissance equivalent of setting R&D guidelines was the commission—say, for a painting or piece of architecture. These contracts would stipulate a subject to be painted, who would paint which parts of the work, the dimensions and medium of the painting, the timeline, and the amount of money to be paid. Although at times these contracts could be quite specific, during the Renaissance, artists' prominence in society increased, so that they increasingly could negotiate contracts that allowed for creative interpretation and stylistic flexibility.
Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling is a fine example of how an artist's higher social position translated into greater negotiating leverage with patrons. In 1506, Pope Julius II decided to complete the painting of the interior of the chapel (the walls had been painted 20 years earlier) with a grandiose fresco across the entire ceiling. He went to Michelangelo, who was well known as a sculptor (though not much as a painter), and asked him to take on the job. Only after some cajoling did Michelangelo agree. In the initial contract, the Pope proposed a scheme of 12 enormous figures of the Apostles. Michelangelo convinced the Pope to agree to a much grander subject that documented humanity's need for salvation. Michelangelo later bragged that he had gotten the Pope to allow him "to do as I liked."6 The artist's ability to negotiate for flexibility contributed to the remarkable creation that is the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Setting stretch goals
Smart companies establish practices and programs that encourage innovators to "shoot for the stars." Consider, for example, Royal Dutch/Shell's GameChanger program, which is designed to seek out and fund good ideas that have a low chance of coming to fruition but could have a profoundly positive effect on Shell's business. GameChanger teams in each of Shell's business units vet, select, and then support ideas as they are developed. Ideas can come from within the company or from outside innovators, although Shell retains the intellectual-property rights to any designs or products that might be generated. The company devotes 10 percent of its innovation budget to the program, which generates fully 30 percent of Shell's R&D projects. By recognizing the power of good but far-fetched ideas, Shell has reaped the benefits of a number of new technologies that few thought were possible to achieve.
Similarly, the masters of the Renaissance were constantly setting themselves artistic and engineering goals that were beyond reasonable reach. When Brunelleschi arrived in Rome, he set to work studying the remarkable architectural masterpiece that is the Roman Pantheon. The structure's dome, in particular, fascinated him: he was awestruck by the sheer amount of space that it covered and puzzled over how such a feat of engineering had been achieved. Then the city of Florence began construction of its now-famous Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (more commonly known as the Duomo) and in 1419 sought an architect to build a dome to cover the massive, 42-meter-wide space above the church's chancel. Such a vast space had not been capped with a dome since the Pantheon's construction, in ancient times.
Brunelleschi won the commission. To overcome this extraordinary architectural challenge, he developed a number of engineering techniques and construction practices. His final design entailed a double-shelled brick dome, with no external buttressing, that rested directly on the church's drum. To complete the design, he invented a unique system of hoists, basing the technology on what he had read the Romans used to construct the Pantheon. His masterpiece defied precedent on innumerable levels: it was the first octagonal dome in history, the first dome to be built without a wooden supporting frame, the largest dome in existence at the time, and is still the largest masonry dome in the world. By drawing on the past and innovating beyond it, Brunelleschi was able to achieve what many had deemed impossible.
What the Renaissance can still teach us
Despite these parallels, there is one important Renaissance innovation practice that rarely figures in today's R&D labs—the use of rivalry. It is difficult to overstate the extent to which the Renaissance was built on the professional rivalries of its major figures. While these men generally held each other in deep respect and esteem, they also competed passionately against each other for commissions, recognition, and prestige. Competition can sometimes yield petulance and destructive energy. But rivalry during the Renaissance seems to have contributed to a competitive culture that bred creativity and innovation. Artists were rivals—but they were also colleagues and frequently friends. To compete, they borrowed from one another, drawing on the techniques and innovations that they most admired from their peers.
A more productive kind of rivalry
Rivalry can mean outright competition—a zero-sum contest in which two individuals or teams go head-to-head and one is declared the winner at the expense of the other. But in the Renaissance, rivalry was linked to a second notion, called paragone.7 In direct translation, paragone means "comparison." During the Renaissance, it implied the placing of two artists, or their individual works, side by side in order to judge them, weigh them, distinguish them, and critique them. With paragone, two equal rivals were compared and celebrated for their relative achievements. Comparing two or more works in this way did not diminish one at the expense of the other. In fact, artists were sometimes commissioned to work on similar projects simultaneously, with each one presenting a subject in his own unique and brilliant way.
An integral part of the philosophy of paragone was the belief that such direct comparison could motivate artists to greater feats. For example, in 1515 the young Raphael was commissioned by Pope Leo X to design ten tapestries for the lower walls of the Sistine Chapel. Knowing they would hang directly below the ceiling painted by Michelangelo, Raphael pushed himself to new heights of creative brilliance.8
Harnessing rivalry today
There are few examples of companies that embrace anything approaching paragone in their R&D labs. To be sure, some companies hold innovation competitions, such as Tata Group's recent Innovista challenge, which generated 1,700 innovative ideas from across the company. But these one-time contests do not really replicate the kind of productive artistic rivalry that made the Renaissance so creative. Moreover, competition is generally discouraged in the business literature on innovation. Management experts prefer to talk about cooperation and collaboration within R&D centers rather than competition and rivalry.
But rivalry does not necessarily preclude collaboration; we believe R&D managers should be seeking to integrate the two more deeply—in short, to implement a modern form of paragone. The best way to do so is to set two or more teams working on the same project at the same time. Again, this isn't a new idea: recall the famous competition between the System 360 mainframe computer and the 8000 series at IBM during the early 1960s.9 And as Mark Little, director of General Electric's Global Research Group, explains in the article that follows (see Competition and collaboration in General Electric's Global Research Group), his company makes extensive, though understated, use of competition. What we are suggesting is that the idea of competition—specifically, paragone—should be a part of more companies' regular R&D processes. This may sound costly, but assigning several teams to tackle the same problem is not necessarily unproductive or inefficient if it leads to better solutions. Here are three principles for executives interested in harnessing the power of paragone:
Forming teams. Competing teams could come from different divisions, include a diverse array of experts, and take explicitly different approaches to the same problem. After all, there are often many ways (sometimes coming out of different disciplines) to resolve an R&D challenge, and there is often no way of knowing which one is best without trying them out. Moreover, teams can have biases and narrow specializations, making it all the more important to have an explicit diversity of approaches.
Appreciating differences. During the Renaissance, paintings were placed side by side so that viewers could compare and appreciate them and other artists could borrow from them. In the same way, the various solutions that teams develop can be held up next to one another in order to judge them on their relative merits. On many occasions, ideas from one can be integrated into the other. Or a solution that is ultimately passed over can be sent back to the labs for development in new directions.
Conducting "market tests." Another way to replicate the practice of paragone is to bring designs to an internal jury or group of customers and let them weigh and contrast the different solutions. In some cases, more than one of the products may find customers who appreciate them, just as Renaissance artists each had their own following.
Whatever the judgment mechanism, there is good reason to believe that having two or more teams working on a given project can have a strong motivational impact. A friendly and healthy degree of rivalry will spur teams to think deeper and harder about a given problem, leading to new levels of creativity. As long as this spirit of rivalry is managed effectively, R&D teams will push themselves further just knowing that their proposals will ultimately be held up in comparison to others.
All that said, we are realistic about the challenges associated with rivalry. Even during the Renaissance, some rivalries grew out of control and at times led to duels, imprisonments, and murders. We have no doubt that poorly managed rivalry could devolve into the kind of destructive competitiveness that R&D managers try to avoid, stifling the exchange of ideas and undermining collaboration. Strong management, though, should be able to ensure that competition does not create bitterness, promote discord, or cause individuals to feel threatened or defensive.
Most important, a company must supplement the implementation of paragone with a deep and pervasive culture of cooperation and collective achievement. The Renaissance masters knew that their greatest achievements were probably those that they would accomplish collectively. They wanted nothing less than to define a new age of art, culture, and civilization—and they were never going to do this alone. Likewise, a great company will make sure its innovators understand that its most lasting breakthroughs and achievements are the product of a collective effort—and will celebrate and reward all who participate.
Without knowing it, the world's most creative companies have fruitfully embraced many practices that made the Renaissance uniquely creative. Executives who want to push their R&D teams to greater heights might consider drawing from the Renaissance philosophy of paragone. Harnessing the creative energy of productive rivalry should yield more, and more valuable, business innovation.
Putting it into practice: Competition and collaboration in GE's Global Research Group
Mark Little, the head of General Electric's Global Research Group, describes how his company uses rivalry to stimulate innovation without disrupting a culture of collaboration.
To get a reality check on the notion that the Italian Renaissance holds valuable insights for executives hoping to stimulate innovation, Bernie Ferrari sat down with GE senior vice president Mark Little, the director of the company's Global Research Group. GE Global Research employs 2,800 people in four research centers (Bangalore, India; Munich, Germany; Niskayuna, New York; and Shanghai, China), who provide basic research and core technology support for the company as a whole. While GE has thousands more technologists spread across its individual businesses, Global Research pursues fundamental innovations in ten technology areas—ranging from biosciences and imaging to ceramic and metallurgy technologies—that cut across GE's business units.
Little's verdict: "It's an interesting thing that you're onto here," he said of the idea that rivalry is an important but often-overlooked lever for catalyzing innovation. A variety of GE research efforts employ rivalry, but Little noted that it is infrequently discussed and often plays second fiddle to collaboration as a cultural norm. Little also described the way in which GE embraces several other Renaissance practices—giving people space, setting stretch goals, encouraging collision between diverse specialists—that are more representative of mainstream R&D approaches.
Productive rivalries
This article was stimulating for me. I hadn't thought much about, or verbalized, rivalry as an element of what we do. But some of my colleagues laughed when I said, "We are sisterhood and brotherhood; we are collaboration; we are teamwork." My colleagues said, "These are scientists. They know how to compete. They know a lot about rivalry."
What's interesting, though, is that we don't talk about rivalry. I don't get in front of our people and say, "I love that we've separated you into different teams and that we're playing you off against one another." We don't talk about ourselves as an internally fighting team, although we have a number of processes that do just that. And we don't talk about individual or team success, although we foster it.
What we talk about is working together, collaboration, and the success of our businesses; we want everybody focused on that. Rivalry takes place in an atmosphere of trying to produce results together. Often we'll say, "Please champion this because we need to have this idea sorted out"—not, "You champion this thing, and you're personally bound up in it." It's less personal if I say, "You guys look at A; you guys look at B. You tell us all about A; you tell us all about B. And then we'll sort it out." Whether A or B wins, these teams will come together to make it a success. Here are some real examples of how that works:
Aircraft engines. My colleagues in GE's aviation business reminded me that the GE90—the big, very-high-thrust engine developed back in the 1990s for the Boeing 777—was developed by two independent teams. Now, we would never build two engines and then run them off, because that's just too expensive; you don't spend a billion dollars each on two engines and then test them. But we did have two independent teams do very detailed conceptual designs, and then we ran them off against each other. One of my colleagues was deeply involved; his team won the competition, and then the other team was charged with challenging and pushing everything my colleague's team was doing. He didn't like it, but he said it made them a lot better and helped the whole thing go forward.
Composite materials. Ceramic matrix composites are an emerging technology for very lightweight aircraft engine components that, unlike any metal, can sustain very high temperatures. You want to go to high temperatures in aircraft engines because the higher the air intake temperature, the better efficiency you get out of the system. Our aviation business had one approach; the GE Research Center had a different one. They developed them in parallel, took them down the road, all the way through testing, and then picked one; now we're going forward on that one.
Power generation. Combustion systems for gas turbines are hugely important. There are big differences between peak and off-peak demand, especially in today's world where you have renewables coming off- and on-line, and it's really important to be able to turn gas turbines down. You want to be able to hold the efficiency up while you turn the power down, but machines don't naturally work that way. So we are, as we speak, running off three different technologies, created by three different teams, which are looking at different ways of solving that problem, with interesting, novel technologies. The best team will win, and we will blend the best features of each.
Solar energy. We have had three parallel tracks for solar energy. One is silicon based, which we have really pulled back on because there's a great deal of capacity in that segment, and it's suffering. Then there's thin-film solar, where we've got a little company called PrimeStar Solar that we're injecting research technology into as aggressively as we can. And while working on that, we're working on the next generation of solar energy with another material called CIGS.1 So we've in effect been competing with three different approaches, run by three different teams, to see which wins in the marketplace.
We have many more examples of this kind of competition going on all over the company: limiting particulate emissions in our transportation business, creating a new battery business, and new imaging approaches in health care. These problems that we're trying to solve are so difficult that, typically, we can't have one person do it. So there's no da Vinci, no Michelangelo making a sculpture on his own. It's a different sort of team game. It's not as if we don't have people who are preeminent leaders in some of these areas, who get to champion those causes. Not at all—we have many of those. We have chief scientists and chief engineers who, in some sense, are like master artists. But they are singular in their discipline. We don't have two in one place. So you don't have rivalry that's directly comparable to that of the master artists.
Making rivalry work
I don't focus on people winning and losing. I focus on people sorting out the pluses and minuses of different options. That's a big, vitally important contribution. I think our scientists and technologists see it that way too. And I have never heard anybody complain about us doing these things.
Of course, that organizational dynamic depends in a significant way on having competent people judge these competitions. If you have somebody in a decision-making position who is viewed, particularly by the losing team, as not really capable of making good technical assessments—say, a manager who is more of a generalist than the deep specialists on the team—that's organizationally bad. So we have mechanisms to guard against that, not the least of which is getting outside people who are experts in on the judgment.
Also, it's not like we say, "We've got a chapel that needs to be painted." We say, "We'd like to do something in oil and gas, and it's this kind of a problem." Then we work with the people who know enough about it to figure out where we should be going. Let's say a team working on battery life is making good progress on the chemistry. We might say, "You know, the chemistry isn't going to be enough; we need to work on the configuration too. And we know a person who is brilliant at configuration; let's challenge that person to put together a team." That really happened in this battery case, and it's not uncommon.
Giving researchers space
By and large, our model is to keep people focused on things that they and we together have chosen to work on. We don't say, "Go do whatever you dream about; we will try to find a way to fit it into GE." We say, "These are the spaces that GE is in. These are things that we're interested in learning about. We'd like your ideas on how to solve these kinds of problems or on getting into adjacent kinds of things." For example, because we're not a semiconductor business, we're not asking people to come up with ideas for new semiconductors—even though we have people who are well capable of doing that.
Having said that, some of our cooler ideas have come from people dreaming up things on their own and then saying, "Let's look at this idea." And we do have pools of money for seeding ideas. We fund the idea a little bit, we find out we like it, and we fund it more. What we're hoping to do is get these ideas to blossom to the point where the businesses become interested, pick them up, fund them, and turn them into products. It's not people individually sitting around having a lot of free time to do whatever they want to do. But there's a process to get them access to money, which gives them flexibility to do more. That's very much part of how we get new ideas.
Stretch goals
Our people don't come to us to think about the next little incremental thing. So the very nature of the research center is that we're working on things that are hard to do, where the likelihood of failure is not zero. And we also have some overarching goals, a few big themes where we said, "Let's have these be areas where we try to achieve some great things." They are long-term, difficult problems.
One example is solar power. We say we want to get the cost of generating solar electricity to be competitive with the cost of electricity from fossil fuels. Just to give you some context about how hard that is to do, with today's low gas prices, you could probably generate natural gas–fired electricity at 5 or 6 cents a kilowatt hour. Solar costs 25 to 30 cents. Closing that gap is really tough. You don't have to close it all the way, because you can put solar panels on your home and avoid the transmission and distribution costs, which might be another 7 or 8 cents. But it's a big challenge. So we are trying, on multiple fronts, to drive the cost of solar way down.
Another goal is cutting the cost of desalination in half. Another is going to subsea oil and gas and liberating all kinds of new fuel sources that we can't get at today. We also are focused on a couple of kinds of cancer. These are big thematic things. They don't catch everything we do, but they are out there as emblematic goals for us; everybody knows about them, and lots of different people are working on them.
Collision of people and ideas
This place is designed to foster the deep technical excellence that you get by having people come together across disciplines; that's the magic we have. A specific example of this is in health care. We bought Amersham Biosciences some years back, not very long after starting our own biosciences activity. The Amersham acquisition put us into medical diagnostics in a whole different way. And although Amersham had a research center in New Jersey, it moved its people from New Jersey to Niskayuna.2 They didn't do that because they thought we had better biologists than they did. They did it because they wanted access to other disciplines: the engineers, the physicists, the device people. The "collision," they knew, would bring them benefits. And it has paid off beautifully.
Another very live and real thing for us is that our business leaders come to the research center routinely. For example, John Dineen, the head of GE Healthcare, spends a full day with us every quarter. To some extent, those sessions are about reviewing the projects we have under way. But in a more important way, they're about shaping the future of the business. These are deep, meaningful discussions, involving serious give and take, that really help shape where we're going. I've heard business leaders say these are their best days at GE, because they are out of the flow of the urgent stuff they typically have to deal with—closing a quarter, winning an order—and are free to really think about the future of their business.
Finally, there is something we call a Session T. Session T is by design a very deep session with customers, most often but not always held at a GE research center. Customers come in and join with people from the GE business that serves them—typically, marketing, product management, and technologists—as well as our people. The purpose of that session is to gather information from the customers about what they see for themselves in the future—what needs they have—and then to think together about how to create what they'd like to have but don't. That's very powerful for us.


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Citing the Golden Rule and saying that "all men and women in our state [should] enjoy the same privileges that are so important in my life," the last legislator needed to pass same-sex marriage legislation in Washington State announced this afternoon that she will support the measure.
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, a Democrat, posted a statement about her decision here.
Her support gives proponents "the 25 votes needed for passage" in the state's Democratic-controlled Senate, according to The Seattle Times. There already was enough support in the state House (also Democratic controlled) and Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) has said she would sign such legislation.
In her statement, Haugen also says:
"Not everyone will agree with my position. I understand and respect that. I also trust that people will remember that we need to respect each other's beliefs. All of us enjoy the benefits of being Americans, but none of us holds a monopoly on what it means to be an American. Ours is truly a big tent, and while the tent may grow and shrink according to the political winds of the day, it should never shrink when it comes to our rights as individuals."
As The Associated Press notes, "Washington would join New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia in legalizing gay marriage."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gulnaz, the young Afghan woman whose story has spread around the world because she was imprisoned after being raped by a relative, is now free, CNN and the BBC are reporting.
As we reported earlier this month, President Hamid Karzai intervened to pardon Gulnaz — who in the eyes of authorities had committed adultery and was about 2 1/2 years into a 12-year prison sentence. But whether she would still be forced or pressured into marrying her attacker (one of her cousins) was unclear. There were reports that it was a condition of her release, though Karzai did not say that in his pardon.
Since the Dec. 1 pardon, Gulnaz had apparently remained in prison. Today, her lawyer told the BBC and CNN, she left the jail.
CNN says she is now "at a women's shelter in Kabul, with her [about 2-year-old] daughter." The BBC reports "it is not clear" whether she still may have to marry the rapist.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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NOTE: Don't add all the flour at once. Add some, and continue adding until your dough looks like mine. You may need more flour as you go for the board.
1 egg
This is the recipe for my pizza crust that is made in my Cuisinart processor. it is always delicious although i use hot water instead of cold and leave it to rise.
Thanx for 'being honest' with your cooking time there chef. That reminds me of a comment you once made in your biscuit video that clicked with me. You just mentioned it might take a dozen times or so to get that recipe down. Seems obvious, but I never saw it that way b4. I made those biscuits every night for the better part of a week (my son was in hog heaven) but I eventually nailed it. Just a little thing, but its helped me to be pretty fearless in the kitchen.
Chef John,
Thanks for all the inspiration. So simple, so fun, yet sooo, sooo delicious!!!
Chef John,
Not so sure 2 3/4 flour is what you meant... Yes, of course, I ran down to my kitchen as soon as I saw the recipe :D I tossed in one cup with the sponge (no problems there), and once that had had twenty minutes, I tossed the rest in with the other ingredients. The dough was VERY dry. I ended up adding about another 1/2-3/4c water (little by little) to moisten it back up.
Typo or user error (mine, not yours!)? :S
Would you get an edible roll with whole wheat flour or would you maybe have to limit it to a blend of white and whole wheat?
These sound awesome and like so many recipes the possible variations on the filling are endless. I'd like to to see Ruhlman try and mix the dough in that bowl with his flat edged paddle. Spoons rule, :-) did you expect to become the poster boy for kitchen spoons?
I want to do it, but I'm afraid I'll eat all of them at once.
Can I store the dough? and for how long?
Thanks to you I'm cooking more!!
Dear chef John,
thanks for another killer bread recipe ! Unfortunately, it's 11 PM here and this one will have to wait till tomorrow.
Oh and, I know you are not really a dessert guy, but could you please do a no-knead recipe for cinnamon rolls ?
No pressure here. ;)
These look great. Can the whole recipe easily be doubled for feeding a crowd?
Yes, a typo! Thanks!!
wow i loved it i have a wish can you make cannoli cream and my bff want to know how to make an icecream cake please and thank you.my friends and I love watching ur video and every time you say "And as all ways enjoy" they love saying it out loud there so funny but i know if u make there wishes come ture they be so happy.
I thought I'm the only one who watch your videos in the house, until I heard your voice coming out of my son's room. He's 14 and not crazy about cooking yet enjoys watching your videos!
These Rolls look great :)
tell me you weren't insinuating it chef john! I can't be the only one who heard it in your voice.
Clearly something CAN look too good! :) You did it again Chef!
I totally second the request for no-knead cinnamon rolls! :D PLEASE, Chef John!
about how much is in one package of yeast? because i have this huge container full of yeast.
about 2 tsp
this could be a new Italian-American delicacy in my house??? My wife's gonna love this. You're a good Italian Chef. I wish I had this for the minestrone I made tonight.
these rolls have the potential to be a new Italian-American special at my house...You're a good Italian.... chef.
Could you indeed do a cinnamon roll recipe? I have been looking for ages for a GOOD one :)
This recipe will keep me busy for a while tho :) Thanks
I can use the oven for a warm spot?
I've never made real bread because there are no warm spots in my house.
So...how can I use the oven? the lowest setting is much above 75 degrees.
Just light the oven, leave on for 2 minutes, and turn off. When it just feels warm, put in the dough.
YUM...those do look too good. I'll be making these rolls soon
This turned out very nicely with 50 % stone ground wheat and the addition of some chopped sun dried tomatoes and jalapeno flakes for kick. I do need a little practice in judging when the dough is the right consistency as mine was a little too soft and sticky.
Oh is that why they're called rolls? I didn't know that you made them by rolling up the dough. Mine came out pretty good, though I think I need more practice.
Thank you Chef John!! Made these tonight, added pizza sauce and substitute oregano flakes for parsley. Threw in some Mozarella as well. Absolutely delicious!
Just had these with dinner. Made mine with garlic and toasted fennel seeds.
I like how you snuck in "I use a rounded wooden spoon.."
I see what you did there :)
I want to use wheat flour. would the proportions change?
not sure, never tried. Should be, but go by feel.
How many teaspoons is one package of yeast? THANK YOU! :D
Please help me :( i am confused whether i can use UK measuring cup to follow ur baking recipes?
If it's 8 fluid ounces then you can.
Just finished dinner featuring the Chicken Soup and these delicious rolls! Thanks Chef!
Hi Chef John!
I'm an avid fan of yours and I love your recipes.
I made this bread and I didn't need the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour at all! In fact, I might've only used 1 1/2 cup or even less. Even so, this was a delicious dinner roll and my entire family loved it. There wasn't a single one left after dinner!
Thank you so much for this recipe :)
hello chef i was wondering if its salter butter or unsalted?
I only use unsalted! :)
My husband and kids enjoyed it last night. My neighbours and my family have enjoyed it tonight but in wholewheat variation. It seems like you need more flour for the latter.
Oh, the rolls accompanied Mushroom and Cream of Garlic and Potato soups.
Thanks to you and your site which features other talented people, like Aimless cook, my husband thinks I am a good cook!
Appreciate all your work and passion for cooking!
what kind of flower is best to use for this? Any italian 00 or the like that you use? I don't like the taste of regular store bought all purpose flower, it never tastes anything like the stuff you get from professional outfits. Any hints what they use? Please please respond
sorry, I just use AP for this! If it tastes different is probably the seasoning, not the flour as all the white flours have the same basic flavor.
Chef John, any alternative for a warm spot? I live in a warm place but my oven light does not work..:(
Hey Chef John, great recipe I love it! Although, I have one problem, my bread turned out to be relatively tough, its not soft and tender like regular breads. Do you know why?
hi chef john,
how much is 1 package of dry yeast?
1 tsp?
Hi Chef John..
I swear I scanned all the comments and only ask this cause no one else had...
If I don't have parmesan in my kitchen can I use mozzarella instead? Say..roughly the same amount as parmesan?
We love them. I have made them three times. Awesome!!! I did use basil since that's what I had.
Thanks David
Chef John- these rolls are fantastic!! I have made them half a dozen times now, and they are always a wonderful addition to pasta or salad. We never have left overs, but last night was my hubby's birthday dinner so I made 2 batches, and we had a few left over. This morning my kids had egg/ham/cheese sandwiches on them, OH MY GOODNESS!! I may make more rolls just for that purpose!!
I just made these and they're sooo delicious! Thank you! :D
I know this might be a stupid question, but i just need to make sure. If you over-knead your bread dough if it's already smooth & elastic, will the texture be different than it supposed to and be tough or something like that?
hi chef john
If i wanted more time to make these in advance for a dinner party: could I wrap and chill the "burrito" for say 12-24 hours, then make up the recipe from there. I imagine that I would have to let it come up to room temperature and then give it more time for the final proof?
hi chef !
how much water should i add in the first instance to make the sponge
doesn't say what kind of flour to use
very delicious recipe . with 1 cup of warm water, the dough was too watery. added almost 1 cup of flour extra . is 1 cup of water is lot for the proportion you mentioned ? pl let me know.
Water is correct. Flour amount is always "as needed"
I made these today for tonight's dinner. Of course, I would never put something on the table that I myself hadn't tried first, so I was obligated to eat one. OMG they are awesome! Thank you Chef John!
I used 1.5+ cups of bread flour and 0.5 cups white wheat flour.
Other than it taking a bit longer for my sponge to become active (I keep my yeast in the fridge which I think slows it down at first) and letting my dough rise a bit longer (~2 hours, only because I had some errands to run) I essentially followed the directions.
The hard part is going to be waiting another two hours until dinner!
Speaking of which, any tips for reheating dinner rolls? I'm thinking these will be just fine room temp, but there are few things better than warm bread and a hearty bowl of soup (I have a pot of lentil soup ready).
Thanks again Chef John! We love your site and recipes!
just warm in the oven for a few minutes. thanks!!
Hi Chef,
Can I do away with the egg? Do the quantities of the other ingredients change in any way?
Chef John,
I baked these last night and used white whole wheat flour and wheat gluten instead of the all-purpose flour. I had one for dinner and saved the rest. My mom and older sister each took one for lunch at work. They both called me to tell me how awesome I am for baking these. I hope you don't mind, but I took all the credit. ^_^
Hi Chef John!
My rolls came out a little lighter in colour (as opposed to the dark brown of yours) even though it was left in the oven for more than 20 minutes (slightly more) What could be the reason?
how much is your cup?
Making these babies tonight. Can't flipping wait!
Which is the exact amount of dry yeast? Thanks!!
Tried it realy looks and tastes great.
Can i do it in piza dough?
Where are the directions?
Hi Chef John,
Is the dough strong enough to hold other kind of filling? Like emmental cheese, salami, olives, tomatoes..?
Hey chef I was wondering if we could use vegetable oil instead of olive oil can we do do that?
Hi chef,
How many grams is a cup?
Just made these last night and they were awesome! Relatively easy to make, they look like they took hours and the house smelled amazing. Thanks chef John your'e the best.
After getting the rolls cut, I just got so hungry and impatient... So I pressed down, rolled them into little pancakes, and fried them on my cast iron skillet. The cheesy-garlicky pancakes turned out to be amazing!!!
Hey boss,
I've only recently become a huge fan of the videos and blog (even my 5 year old likes to talk in your cadence!)
Wondering if you have already made a video or recipe about making hawaiian rolls (similar to king's hawaiian brand rolls).
Keep on granting the food wishes, boss!
To rise the dough in the cold weather I put a candle in the oven to keep it warm.


text:
For this session of the Monthly Mingle I am taking you away to a lovely destination. Pack your bikinis and bathing suits because we are heading on over to the wonderful Caribbean Islands. Beaches, sun, sand, sea and palm trees are all synonymous with this wonderful destination and we'll definitely have it all. The only thing missing is food and drink!
So, I need your help to lay out the festive party table and fill it with delicious food and spectacular cocktails. Let's enjoy a feast of Caribbean flavors and indulge in the mouthwatering plethora of colorful dishes the Caribbean Islands have to offer. From Antigua to the Virgin Islands, this region is known for it's fresh products and exotic ingredients. The cuisine is a fusion of African, Indian, French, Dutch and Spanish flavors so your creations promise to be exciting.
I have invited my dear friend Cynthia of Tastes Like Home to help me with this mingle. Home for Cynthia is the beautiful island of Barbados and her blog depicts not only Caribbean cooking but also her energy and love for her cuisine. Cynthia shares her love for this cuisine and put together a few grand recipes in her first, recently published cookbook My Caribbean Cookbook. She has been kind enough to give away a copy of her cookbook to one lucky winner.
How do you qualify to win? Simple, you just send us your Monthly Mingle Caribbean Cooking creation and Cynthia will pick her favorite dish after the roundup. This person will be the lucky one to receive Cynthia's My Caribbean Cookbook!
Turn up the Caribbean rhythm and get cooking on your Caribbean dish, then bring it on over to the party by 9 March 2009. Make an appetizer, soup, salad or a cocktail. It can be vegan, vegetarian or not! What it has to be is full of Caribbean Cooking flavor!
Here's how it works:
- Create a dish that fits the Caribbean Cooking theme as described above.
- Post about it on your blog from now till 9 March 2009 (entries must be in English, please).
- Your creation must exclusively be prepared for the current Monthly Mingle theme and cannot be submitted to any other blog event.
- You must provide a link to this post and/or the official Monthly Mingle page.
Once you've posted your dish, please fill the Monthly Mingle form to send me your entries.
Note: The Monthly Mingle form is the new way to send all your MM entries to me. This ensures that I do not miss your submission if it lands in the spam folder. Please fill out the form carefully filling out the required fields (those marked with *). Upload your image - 300px and below 1 MB - and click on the submit button.
Please do not send me the entries via email. You can easily access the form via the submission button on the sidebar under the section "Come Mingle With Me" or via the official Monthly Mingle page.
If you have any questions, queries or issues drop me an email at blogmeeta[AT]gmail[DOT]com.
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


text:
In China, recent Communist Party show trials have featured cowed defendants acknowledging their crimes and offering apologies. Not this one.
The country's biggest trial in decades kicked off Thursday with the defendant, former politburo member Bo Xilai, denying guilt, claiming his confession was coerced and branding the testimony of one of his accusers — in this case his wife — "laughable."
Although the case was not broadcast live, the Jinan Intermediate Court in east China's Shandong province live-tweeted the proceedings. As court adjourned around dinner time, it wasn't clear whether Bo had gone off-script with his fierce denials or this was the script. If it was, it was unconventional by recent standards.
Bo is charged with abuse of power for allegedly obstructing the investigation of a case that saw his wife convicted of murdering a British businessman in the southwestern city of Chongqing, where Bo was party boss until he was removed last year. Bo also is accused of taking about $3.5 million in bribes from two businessmen in northeastern China, where he had earlier served in top political positions.
Tang Xiaolin, general manager of Dalian International Development Group, said in written testimony that he had bribed Bo. In response, Bo, wearing a white dress shirt and dark slacks, called Tang a "crazy dog snapping at things for reward" and said Tang was making claims to try to reduce his own prison sentence. Bo also called Tang's written testimony — Chinese defendants do not have a right to confront their accusers — "the ugly performance of a person selling his soul."
In other written testimony, Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, said she took large sums from their home safes in different cities and used the cash to pay for the education of their son, Bo Guagua, in England. Bo wondered whether Gu could remember the amounts she took, while his lawyer described her as "mentally unsound."
Bo's career began to unravel last year when his own police chief in Chongqing, Wang Lijun, fled to the safety of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu. Wang apparently revealed to American officials that Gu had killed the British businessman, Neil Heywood.
No one doubts that Bo will be found guilty at the trial. The case is largely seen as the result of a power struggle at the highest levels in China. The Communist Party is above the nation's judiciary, and despite officials' frequent protestations to the contrary, China does not have the rule of law.
Even before Bo mounted his robust defense this morning, the party's image-makers seemed to try to diminish his stature through a photo of him at court. Bo is actually a pretty tall guy, as the photo above suggests. (According to an article on the website of the People's Daily, the party's mouthpiece, Bo said he was just over 6 feet tall when in school, but had shrunk to about 5-foot-10-inches — still relatively tall for a Chinese man.)
But appearing for the first time in public in months, Bo was dwarfed by two very tall cops standing on either side of him in the courtroom in Shandong, which is known for strapping men. After seeing the courtroom picture, one Chinese netizen, or web-user, wrote: "I finally got why the trial is arranged in Shandong."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses On And Point Your Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want Fries with That.
4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It "In."
5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone Has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch To Espresso.
6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Sexual Favors."
7. Finish All Your Sentences With "In Accordance With The Prophecy."
8. don't use any punctuation
9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.
10. Ask People What Sex They Are. Laugh Hysterically After They Answer.
11. Specify That Your Drive-Through Order Is "To Go."
12. Sing Along At The Opera.
13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme
14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play Tropical Sounds All Day.
15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.
16. Have Your Co-Workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, "Rock Hard."
17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"
18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking Lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!"
19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."
And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity...
20. Send This I-mail To Someone To Make Them Smile... It's Called Therapy...


text:
Welcome to HSK level 2 course!
This course is called "Chinese for HSK Level 2", which is also the second step towards HSK Level 6. At the end of the 6 weeks, you will be able to express your views towards some simple and common daily life topics. In this course, we have 24 lecture videos and in class exercises 44 short videos in complement to the context of learning material Over 150 new vocabularies, 62 new grammar points as well as relevant pictures and examples Downloadable practice charts for over 100 basic Chinese Characters Weekly online quiz and final simulation exam questions This course covers the entire content that stated in the HSK Level Two Outline. It does not matter if you complete HSK Level 1 or not, as long as you have obtained basic Chinese language competency, I would like to welcome you to join the journey of learning Chinese with us. I believe you will continue enjoying the happiness that Chinese brings to you.


text:
I am called to inspect probably twenty to thirty solid hardwood floors every year that after several weeks or months have started gapping. A quick reminder: solid hardwood floor planks are each one piece of wood, whereas engineered wood planks are several different layers of wood glued together-very much like plywood. Once-in-a-while I'll see an engineered wood with gapping. In either case, it is a serious and very expensive problem. If you will take the time to read the rest of this article, you can be sure this won't happen to you, I promise.
"Moisture levels" are very important with solid hardwood flooring. All wood has moisture of some amount. When a solid wood floor has been installed, especially if nailed/stapled in, and then starts gapping at the seams so that there is space between adjacent boards, it is because they have shrunk. The only other possibility is that your house has expanded, but I'm pretty confident that has never happened and never will. So, why did the boards shrink? Because they lost moisture since being installed. When wood dries out, it shrinks, when it gets wetter, it expands. Okay, now we're getting to the very important part.
Most people are familiar with the term "acclimation". Most people know that wood flooring, even laminates (like Pergo) is to be acclimated before being installed. Usually the instructions say to acclimate for 48 hours, or 3 days, or whatever, then install. THAT IS NOT CORRECT. If you acclimate the product as outlined by the manufacturer for the proper time, then install it, and then it gaps, it will not be warrantied or replaced by the manufacturer. The small print on flooring installation is this: when the installer installs the flooring, he/she accepts that the flooring and subfloor are suitable for installation. The problem is, sometimes the wood flooring is showing up at the house to be acclimated at 15% moisture level, and is to be installed in a home with the subfloor having 6% to 9% moisture level. There is no way that flooring can acclimate to those conditions in a few days. It will still be too wet. And after it is installed, it will shrink-causing gapping. And the worst part, the flooring will have to be pulled up and thrown away. It is not a correctable situation.
I need to interject one small point here. "Some" gapping on solid hardwood flooring is very normal, especially if you live in an area with real seasonal changes like I do eastern Washington. Our homes here will invariably be drier in the winter and wetter in the summer, causing some minor gapping and is perfectly normal. One sure way to know if the gapping is normal is if it pretty much disappears each year during the wetter time. But the gapping I'm talking about is not like this. One lady showed me how some spaghetti that had fallen on the floor had rolled into the gaps. Or if your missing one or more of your favorite pets-that is also a clue.
THE SOLUTION So before this horrible scenario happens, make sure the following is done before your new floor is installed. The flooring needs to be moisture checked with a wood meter. There are pin meters (invasive) and magnetic (non-invasive), either of which will work. However, these run $200 to $300 or more. Insist that the installer have the moisture checked, especially as it will be the installers BIG problem if later you have gapping. Because you know what will happen? The manufacturer will send me to look at the floor, I'll make a lot of measurements of dimensions and moisture levels, and using the Wood Handbook's coefficient of dimensional change tables, I'll be able to determine what the actual moisture level of the wood was at the time of installation. I'll find that it was too high (or WAY too high), and the finding will be that the wood floor was not acclimated to the home's normal environment before being installed. OUCH! That will cost somebody a lot of money, and will cost you at least a lot of hassle with the issue of replacement, etc. You don't want that, and neither do I.
By the way, engineered wood should definitely be acclimated as well, although some of the manufacturers do not want the cartons opened for acclimation and some do, so pay attention to that. Also, laminates (which are real layers of wood similar to engineered except for the top layer which is melamine (aluminum oxide or similar) are also to be acclimated but I've never seen a claim rejected because the floor wasn't acclimated. Typically laminates and a lot of the engineered woods are "floating" which means they connect together and become one unit. Any dimensional change does not normally cause gapping but rather a change of the amount of clearance (perimeter expansion space) at the walls. Some of these issues I'll cover in another article.
TO SUMMARIZE: With any kind of wood flooring, but especially with solid hardwood, be sure that the moisture levels of the wood is within 2% to 4% of the subfloor the flooring is going on top of. In my part of the country where the relative humidity of homes is usually between 25% and 40%, the flooring should be between 6% and 9% before being installed. That leads to one of my favorite phrases, "IMAGINE NO GAPPING!".


text: Rev. Christopher Gordon was ordained to the Ministry of the Word in October, 2004. Rev. Gordon is a native of Central California, and prior to answering God's call into the ministry, he was a high school Bible teacher in the central Californian valley. Rev. Gordon, having a love for Reformed theology, pursued further theological studies and received his Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Seminary in Escondido, CA, where he studied under such scholars as Drs. Michael Horton, W. Robert Godfrey, R.S. Clark, S.M. Baugh, David VanDrunen and D.G.Hart. He pastored at the Lynden United Reformed Church from 2004 to July 2012, and is presently Preaching Pastor at the Escondido United Reformed Church.


text:
The element handler functions may get their element names case-folded. Case-folding is defined as "a process applied to a sequence of characters, in which those identified as non-uppercase are replaced by their uppercase equivalents". In other words, when it comes to XML, case-folding simply means uppercasing.
By default, all the element names that are passed to the handler functions are case-folded. This behaviour can be queried and controlled per XML parser with the xml_parser_get_option() and xml_parser_set_option() functions, respectively.


text:
Our Hive Five asks readers to identify five of the best tools for any job, then vote for the absolute best. Here's a look back at the winners—the best of the best—from each week.
Every week we pose a question to you, the computer savvy readers of Lifehacker. Tirelessly we search for the next "Which is best?" question and through the hive mind we distill down your thousands of nominations into a list of the top five candidates. You vote on the best of the best and we return the next week to declare a champion.
The following list showcases the winners in each of the categories we covered in the third quarter of 2009. If a particular category catches your eye and you'd like to see the other contenders, click on the name of the category to jump to the original Hive Five post, clicking on the name of the winner will take you directly to the winner's web site.
Best Free System Restore Tool: Clonezilla
Clonezilla is a powerful open-source disk imaging tool easy enough for new users to jump into. The deep-down features, though, may keep users around as their needs grow. The server edition allows for network-based bulk disk imaging, and Clonezilla itself supports over a half-dozen file systems covering Windows, Linux, and Mac-based machines. Even if you're using an obscure file system that isn't supported, you can still use Clonezilla, but you'll need to do a sector-to-sector copy instead of taking advantage of the efficiency and compression it applies when backing up a supported file system. The personal version of Clonezilla is a Live CD and customizable by the end user to meet a variety of needs in a variety of situations, with more than adequate documentation on the Clonezilla site to help you do so.
Best Online Image Editor: Aviary Phoenix
Aviary Phoenix is an image editor that is part of the Aviary Suite of online editing tools, which—on top of image editing—boasts a vector and filter editor, among other tools. Aviary Phoenix has an advanced interface and plenty of options to help you edit your images, like layers, blending, and magic wand selection. You can use Aviary without signing up for an account, but with an account you can save your creations, collaborate with other users, and otherwise participate in the Aviary community. The Aviary Phoenix Firefox extension, called Talon, adds in an assortment of functionality like screen capture, quick editing of images you find online, and—unique among the Hive Five candidates this week—it adds support for pressure sensitive input devices. The premium version of Aviary Phoenix is available for $25 a year and unlocks advanced features and the ability to save your work to your Aviary account without adding it to the public area of the Aviary community. Photo by tinyfroglet.
Best Content Filtering Tool: OpenDNS
OpenDNS is a perfect solution for people who either lack the time or expertise to set up and administer a full-out content-filtering server. OpenDNS replaces your current DNS server and allows you to filter every connection coming out of your house if you change the DNS settings at the router level. No matter if someone is on your main desktop or connecting into your wireless via laptop, everything will be filtered by OpenDNS. You can set custom filters to white list and black list specific sites and customize the range of filters they provide for you. If you're considering using OpenDNS as your household filter, check out our previous article on the topic.
Best GPS Device: Garmin Nüvi
The Garmin Nüvi is Garmin's offering in the automotive category. The units are sleek, wide-screened, and sport of a host of features beyond basic navigation. In addition to the basics (like turn-by-turn navigation, voice prompts, and the ability to switch between bird's eye and street level views), the more advanced Nüvi units offer even more. When you're using higher-end models you can use the ecoRoute feature to track your gas mileage and have your Nüvi plot out the most fuel-efficient routes. If things "turn south," you can use the "Where am I?" emergency tool—tap the screen and you'll be instantly given your latitude and longitude, the nearest intersection, and the nearest hospitals and police stations. Higher-end models also include a built in media player, an audiobook player, and an FM transmitter.
Best Instant Messenger: Trillian Astra
Trillian seemed to all but disappear from the instant messaging scene for a while there, but it's come back in full force with the beta-release of Trillian Astra (which most were suspecting may have been vaporware). Trillian Astra has an extensive feature list, although some of the juicier features are disabled after 30 days if you don't upgrade to the Pro edition. Trillian supports the regular customers like AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, and MSN Messenger, as well as Facebook, MySpace, Skype, IRC, and Twitter. While video and audio support are notably lacking from most of the entries in the Hive, Trillian circumvents the problem of trying to play nice with 3rd party protocols by sporting its own video and chat service that is run through the Astra network.
Best PDF Reader: PDF-XChange
PDF-XChange is an Adobe Reader-alternative
Best Video Player: VLC
VLC is a media player with far-reaching appeal. It is available for over ten operating systems including systems as obscure as BeOS. Built with open-source code and fueled by free decoding and encoding libraries, it has a history of innovation and performance; it was, for example, the first player that could play back encrypted DVDs on Linux. VLC allows you to play incomplete or damaged videos, so you can decide if it is worth finishing a download or repairing a video file. VLC can also play a variety of formats not commonly supported by media players, such as a raw DVD ISO file or AVCHD—a format currently used by many HD camcorders. VLC is available as a portable application.
Best Apartment Search Tool: MyApartmentMap
MyApartmentMap has quite a slew of features beyond simply indexing apartment listings. You can jump to Google Streetview to check out your new neighborhood, browse an interactive map of local businesses and social spots, and get rental data for your new city and neighborhood to compare the prices of the apartments you're looking at to the city averages—a rather handy feature if you're moving to a city with a market you're unfamiliar with. You can also search by colleges to see listings for off-campus housing surrounding that college in addition to searching by city and neighborhood. If you don't find anything you like, you can set up email and RSS alerts to be notified when listings that fit your requirements appear. MyApartmentMap pulls listings from Craigslist (like PadMapper) as well as a variety of other online resources.
Best Video-Sharing Site: YouTube
YouTube has reached a level of ubiquity in the video-sharing market that for millions of internet users, YouTube is not only how they were introduced to video sharing—it's also the only video sharing site they're even aware of. Videos uploaded to YouTube have to be smaller than 2GB, and they must be 10 minutes or shorter in length if you're using a basic account. YouTube places no restriction on the number of videos you can upload as long as they follow the 2GB/10min rule. You can't edit your videos once you've uploaded them to YouTube, but you can annotate them with additional information and links. YouTube lets you embed and customize the player, again, for free.
Best Disk Defragmenter:Defraggler
Defraggler, from the same company that produces popular applications CCleaner and Recuva, is a portable defragmentation tool. It can scan multiple disks, individual disks, folders, or individual files for some quick, specific defragging. When Defraggler scans a disk, it shows you all the fragmented files and lets you either select sets to be defragmented or batch defragment all of them.
Best Virtual-Desktop Manager:Compiz
If you like your virtual-desktop managers to come with some flair and eye candy, Compiz is definitely worth a look. Linux users who just want simple workspace switching might be better served by Gnome Workspaces, but if you're on a rig with a nice graphics card—and you want to live it up with fancy graphic-intensive transitions between virtual desktops—Compiz's more advanced effects are pretty nifty. Compiz comes with a core of plug-ins that cover all sorts of 3D effects which can be further supplemented by using Compiz Fusion, a version of Compiz that sports additional plug-ins and enhanced graphics.
Best Time-Tracking Application: Klok
Built with Adobe AIR, Klok is a lightweight and cross-platform tracking solution. You can create a hierarchy of projects and sub-projects in the task-management sidebar and then track the time spent on each by dragging and dropping them into the workflow for the day. While you can delve into the details of each block of time, simple adjustments like expanding the amount of time you've worked on a project is as easy as grabbing the edge of the block with your mouse and tugging it down.
The third quarter of 2009 was filled with all sorts of useful communication tools, time saving applications, and software to help you get things done. If reading over the list gave you an idea for the next great Hive Five topic, drop us a line at tips at lifehacker.com. Make sure to include Hive Five Idea in the subject so your idea gets forwarded to gnomes at mission control.


text:
2 Americans detained in North Korea seek US help
The Associated Press
| Saturday, August 2, 2014, 11:02 a.m.
PYONGYANG, North Korea — Two American tourists charged with "anti-state" crimes in North Korea said Friday they expect to be tried soon and pleaded for help from the U.S. government to secure their release from what they say could be long prison terms.
In their first appearance since being detained more than three months ago, Matthew Todd Miller and Jeffrey Edward Fowle told a local AP Television News crew that they were in good health and were being treated well. They also said they were allowed to take daily walks. The brief meeting was conducted under the condition that the specific location not be disclosed.
Fowle said he fears his situation will get much worse once he goes on trial.
"The horizon for me is pretty dark," he said. "I don't know what the worst-case scenario would be, but I need help to extricate myself from this situation. I ask the government for help in that regards."
It was not clear whether they were speaking on their own initiative, or if their comments were coerced. The TV crew was permitted to ask them questions.
North Korea says the two committed hostile acts which violated their status as tourists. It has announced that authorities are preparing to bring them before a court, but has not yet specified what they did that was considered hostile or illegal, or what kind of punishment they might face. The date of the trial has not been announced.
Ri Tong II, a North Korean diplomat, declined to answer questions about the Americans at a news conference Friday at the United Nations. But when pressed in a follow-up question he said their cases were "legal issues" and they had "violated our law."
Fowle arrived in North Korea on April 29. He is suspected of leaving a Bible in a nightclub in the northern port city of Chongjin, but a spokesman for Fowle's family said the 56-year-old from Miamisburg, Ohio, was not on a mission for his church. Fowle works in a city streets department. He has a wife and three children, ages 9, 10 and 12.
"The window is closing on that process. It will be coming relatively soon, maybe within a month," Fowle said of his trial. "I'm anxious to get home, I'm sure all of us are."
Fowle also produced a letter he said he had written summarizing his experience in North Korea.
The attorney for Fowle's family said Friday his wife hadn't seen the video, but had read news reports about his comments.
"I can tell you that she is very upset, as you can imagine," said attorney Timothy Tepe. He said he and the family were still gathering information and likely would have a statement on Monday.
Less is known about Miller, or about what specific crime he allegedly committed.
North Korea's state-run media have said the 24-year-old entered the country April 10 with a tourist visa, but tore it up at the airport and shouted that he wanted to seek asylum. A large number of Western tourists visited Pyongyang in April to run in the annual Pyongyang Marathon or attend related events. Miller came at that time, but tour organizers say he was not planning to join the marathon.
"I expect soon I will be going to trial for my crime and be sent to prison," Miller said. "I have been requesting help from the American government, but have received no reply."
A handwritten note on the front door of his family's home in California asked for privacy.
Neighbor Carol Stewart said Miller first traveled to South Korea about four years ago to visit a brother stationed there with the U.S. Air Force. He found work teaching English and learned Korean, Stewart said in a July 1 interview. She has since declined to comment out of respect for his parents' wishes.
"He liked it a lot, and he's been there ever since," said Stewart, describing Miller as the shy one of the four brothers.
North Korea has also been holding another American, Kenneth Bae, since November 2012.
Bae, a Korean-American missionary who turned 46 on Friday, told a Japan-based pro-North Korean news organization earlier this week that he felt "abandoned" by the U.S. government. He is serving a sentence of 15 years of hard labor for what North Korea has claimed were hostile acts against the state. However, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Thursday the agency is in regular contact with Bae's family.
Last summer, authorities moved Bae from a work camp to a hospital because of failing health and weight loss. He was sent back to the work camp earlier this year, only to be taken again to a hospital less than two months later. His family says he suffers from diabetes, an enlarged heart, liver problems and back pain.
Bae's sister, Terri Chung, said in a statement Thursday it was the first word the family has had of Bae since April.
"After months of silence, it is devastating to hear Kenneth talk about 'feeling abandoned by the United States government,'" she said. "Although we acknowledge and appreciate all the efforts the U.S. State Department has been making behind the scenes to secure Kenneth's release, the fact remains that after almost two years, Kenneth still remains imprisoned in North Korea."
North Korea has in the past waited for senior U.S. officials to come to the country to secure the release of some American detainees. Both Fowle and Miller suggested that intervention from the highest levels in Washington — possibly a visit by a former president — might be needed to gain their release.
The U.S. has repeatedly offered to send its envoy for North Korean human rights issues, Robert King, to Pyongyang to seek a pardon for Bae and other U.S. detainees but without success.
Washington has no diplomatic ties with North Korea and no embassy in Pyongyang. Instead, the Swedish Embassy takes responsibility for U.S. consular affairs there.
Though a small number of U.S. citizens visit North Korea each year as tourists, the State Department strongly advises against it. After Miller's detention, Washington updated its travel warning to note that over the past 18 months, "North Korea detained several U.S. citizens who were part of organized tours."
North Korea has been strongly pushing tourism lately in an effort to bring in foreign cash. But despite its efforts to bring in more visitors — mostly from neighboring China — it remains highly sensitive to any actions it considers political and is particularly wary of anything it deems to be Christian proselytizing.
In March, North Korea deported an Australian missionary detained for spreading Christianity in the country after he apologized and requested forgiveness.
Associated Press writers Trenton Daniel at the United Nations; Dan Sewell in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Scott Smith and Matt Hamilton in Bakersfield, California, contributed to this report.


text:
Finger Flickin Games Carnival Toss 204
Play Monster
$ 7.95 $ 8.95
Finger Flickin'™ Games are full of fun in a simple, easy-to-play format. Kids will have a ball flicking the spring launcher to flip balls into the pockets, trying to score big to beat opponents or just best their own scores. The 7" x 8¾ " self-contained package makes it easy to play with anywhere!
Ages 4 & Up
Ages 4 & Up


text:
Pearl River Community College will offer shipfitting at the Hancock Center in Waveland this summer, beginning May 19.
Applications, including the $250 course fee, are due by the first day of class.
Students will receive an Industry Recognized Certificate in Pipefitting and Application for NCCER Certification in: Core curriculum (Introductory Craft Skills), Level 1 and 2 Pipefitting and a 10-hour OSHA card.
Students must provide their own protective gear: #10 welding shield, welding gloves and hat, steel-toed shoes, safety glasses, ear plugs and long-sleeve shirt.
Students also must obtain a drug screening at their own expense.
Classes will meet from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday through July 21.
Applications can be obtained at the Hancock Center or at the welding shop at the Hancock Center. Applications and fees must be submitted to PRCC on the first day or class.
The Hancock Center is located at 454 Highway 90, Ste. D, in Waveland.
For information, contact Raymond Jarrell at 228-252-7011 or Troy Teadt at 228-688-3113.


text:
Monday, June 8, 2009
Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppy Seeds and Blue Ribbons for Blue Monday
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was one of those calls you wish could be frozen in time. The words aren't as important as the excitement they engender. Our oldest grandson, heading to middle school next year, had just received a President's Award at his graduation ceremony. He's not yet old enough to be cool, so you could hear the excitement in his voice as he talked. I swear I could hear him smile and it didn't take much imagination to picture the crooked grin on his face as we were speaking. Next came his brother who dutifully reported his "boring" grades. I was thrilled, not by the grades, but by the measured and balanced way in which these two special guys have achieved their personal best. It was a blue ribbon day for the boys and their parents. Kudos and kisses for all. You get to stay in the will.
The developer of this buttermilk cluster also deserves a blue ribbon. Excellence should be recognized in all pursuits and this recipe is a winner. It's a great place to start our buttermilk bonanza - the bonanza being a series of recipes that will expose you to more buttermilk than you ever dreamed existed. If you are looking for a soft and delicious roll for large gatherings, this recipe has your name on it. The rolls are easy to make and when served warm from the oven they'll enhance your reputation as a cook and hostess. The recipe is one of the many standouts from the book Country Breads of the World. The only alteration I've made was to increase amount of buttermilk and honey called for in the original recipe. I also used blue poppy seeds as the topping for my rolls. Yes, these seeds do come from the opium poppy, but - and it is a big but - the seeds that are bought and sold come from mature capsules that no longer contain narcotic substance. Only unripe seed capsules contain the milky substance from which opium is extracted. Having said that, do not eat foods that contain or are sprinkled with poppy seeds before taking a drug test. False positive results have been reported and there's no reason to beg trouble that can be avoided. The blue poppy seeds used in baking are minuscule kidney shaped gems that impart a sweet nutty flavor to breads, cakes and pastries. They are very popular in European cooking and, while their primary use is for baking, the seeds can also be crushed to extract their flavorful oil. If poppy seeds put you off, use sesame seeds or serve the cluster without a topping. Here's the recipe for truly outstanding dinner rolls; they're just waiting for you to pull them apart.
Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppy Seeds...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tablespoons salt
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon lukewarm water
2 cups warm buttermilk
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 to 2 tablespoons seeds (poppy, sesame) or grains (cracked wheat, wheat bran, rolled oats)
1) Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine warm water and yeast in a small cup and allow to proof for 10 minutes.
2) Pour yeast, buttermilk, and honey into flour mixture and mix well. If dough is so dry that some of flour won't stick, add a bit more buttermilk or water. If the dough is too sticky to knead, more like a batter, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until correct consistency is achieved.
3) Knead by machine or hand for approximately 10 minutes. Return dough to bowl, cover, and set aside to rise until dough has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
4) Divide dough into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a neat ball and place in a 12-inch round dish or a 12-inch spring-form pan close together. Cover again with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise again for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
5) Uncover rolls and brush gently with egg wash. Sprinkle with seeds or grains, if using. Bake for 30 minutes, or until are firm and spring back when tapped. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm if possible. Yield: 16 rolls.
Other Recipe Links
Buttermilk Cluster at The Fresh Loaf
Buttermilk Cluster at Toxo Bread
I'm send this to Smiling Sally for her Blue Monday event.
62 comments :
- Pam said...
Sounds like you have pretty special grandsons.
This buttermilk cluster is making me drool...it's so beautiful and perfectly baked. Another excellent recipe Mary. - June 8, 2009 at 12:31 AM
- The Quintessential Magpie said...
Congrats to your grands. YOu just enjoy yourself all you want to and bask in that excitement!
And that bread looks FAB-U-LOUS!
Happy Blue Monday...
Sheila :-) - June 8, 2009 at 12:32 AM
- Selba said...
Congratulations to your grandsons :)
So lovely the blue poppy sees. - June 8, 2009 at 1:09 AM
- My Little Space said...
Congratulations to your grandson, Mary! You should be very pleased.
- June 8, 2009 at 1:11 AM
- srp said...
I am going to give this recipe to my mom... she is always looking for a good roll recipe. Can you make this dough in a bread machine?
- June 8, 2009 at 1:29 AM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
srp, yes this recipe can be made in a bread machine. Just don't bake it in the bread machine :-).
- June 8, 2009 at 2:06 AM
- Carolyne said...
Thanks for your kind comments on my blog! Your grandsons are adorable!
And thank you for posting that recipe for buttermilk clusters...I'm sure my husband will flip when I make this! - June 8, 2009 at 2:18 AM
- Jamie said...
Wow! Congratulations to the grandsons! That is something to be proud of.
These rolls look absolutely fabulous and I'll definitely try this recipe as I am always looking for great breads to make. - June 8, 2009 at 4:04 AM
- Katy ~ said...
Mary, I was smiling BIG at the stories of your beautiful grandsons. Gosh, they are just delightful. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Your rolls are stupendous! Oh my stars they are gorgeous!!! I will be making these; even have buttermilk in the fridge as I write this. We can't do nuts or seeds in this house because of Ole Sweetie's sensitivities but maybe I can do a half and half. - June 8, 2009 at 5:12 AM
- Unknown said...
How great that your grandchildren call and tell you things! They'll be cool soon enough, but as long as they call, who cares?
- June 8, 2009 at 5:13 AM
- Martha said...
Congratulations to your grandson -- you should be very proud of him!
I admire your yeast baking. I don't do it as often as I should -- impatience perhaps? - June 8, 2009 at 6:04 AM
- Donna-FFW said...
Congrats to your grandsons, you must be a proud grandma!!
Love these little rolls, and love that you can make them in a bread machine, but not bake, even more!! I have a thing about kneading dough, I find I can not do it well. Tips for a new kneader? - June 8, 2009 at 6:45 AM
- Mariana said...
Are you sure you haven't worked in a bakery before? They look perfect.
I can feel your pride emanating from the page. Enoy this special time. - June 8, 2009 at 6:48 AM
- Knitty said...
Yea for the grandsons! Thanks for the recipe. I have buttermilk in the house right now so I may be trying this soon.
- June 8, 2009 at 7:51 AM
- Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...
Mmmmm, looks so yummy! Congrats to your grandson. Have a wonderful week and a Happy Blue Monday.
Sandi - June 8, 2009 at 8:23 AM
- Netts Nook said...
Sounds like you are a proud Grandma.
Your breads and rolls always look so perfect. Kudos to you in many ways. - June 8, 2009 at 8:47 AM
- SmilingSally said...
Your recipes add a special dimension to our meme. Thanks for sharing. Happy Blue Monday.
- June 8, 2009 at 8:57 AM
- Hootin Anni said...
First of all congratulations are in order for your grandsons!!!! High 5 and yes...kudos to the whole family. There was much pride in your post...and I can so understand the elation with it!!!!
Then, the rolls. My mouth waters...can you hear my loud gulp from where I am all the way to your house? Wow....just wow. You have to understand that when I make...or buy bakery rolls, the poppy seed rolls are the ones I always pick out for myself. I just love anything with poppy seeds on top. Does this mean I'm an addict. I can picture myself now, with the opium pipe...oh gracious me! Oh heck, at my age, poppies and opium sounds terriff=f=f=ic. Sorry, my speech is a bit slurred. It's the big "O" I tellya. - June 8, 2009 at 9:40 AM
- Hootin Anni said...
LOL...I just read your comment regarding srp's comment while my comment was loading for approval...about baking it in the bread machine. Now who's been hitting the seeds more heavily, ---you or me?
- June 8, 2009 at 9:41 AM
- Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...
Congrats to your grandson! They grow up way too fast! I know you are proud...give them an extra hug or two! Happy Blue Monday ~ Susan
- June 8, 2009 at 9:43 AM
- Dewi said...
What a delicious bread Mary. Very tempting recipe indeed.
- June 8, 2009 at 10:57 AM
- Barb said...
Hi Mary, congratultions to your grandson. Oh, the bread look so beautiful and delicious. Gorgeous!!!
Happy Blue Monday.
Barb - June 8, 2009 at 11:02 AM
- Schnitzel and the Trout said...
Mary, those rolls look wonderful. Congrats to the grandson. Middle school seems unbelievable. Our oldest is starting also in the fall. I don't know what is happening, but I am using the desktop right now because for some reason, I could not get into your last two posts from my laptop. Operation Aborted keeps coming up and knocking me off. Strange. Will have to figure that one out. At least I still have a source to reach you and read you.
- June 8, 2009 at 11:57 AM
- Toni said...
How wonderful! I just found your blogsite!
The Buttermilk Cluster bread looks so yummy! I can almost smell it! - June 8, 2009 at 12:04 PM
- Theresa @ Take A Sentimental Journey said...
Congrats to g.son ! And the rolls sound so yummy .I didn't know all of that info about poppy seeds.Enjoyed it.
- June 8, 2009 at 12:04 PM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Toni, a big welcome to One Perfect Bite. I hope you'll visit often.
- June 8, 2009 at 12:11 PM
- Lyndas recipe box said...
I'm glad that you enjoy your grandkids so much- they sound special!
These rolls are to die for! I'll have to try this recipe,although, I know I won't be able to find the blue poppy seeds here. - June 8, 2009 at 12:12 PM
- Boo-Bah AKA Iris said...
Your grandsons sound very special. Isn't it wonderful being a grandmother?
The rolls sound so good. I wish I had the energy and time to bake and cook everything that I want to.
Iris - June 8, 2009 at 12:20 PM
- theUngourmet said...
A big congratulations to your grandson! What an honor!
You rolls are so beautiful! I love using buttermilk in breads and pastries.
Have a great week! - June 8, 2009 at 12:29 PM
- ellen b. said...
What handsome grandsons. Congratulations to them! Oh that bread looks so wonderful. I'd love to grab a chunk!
- June 8, 2009 at 1:00 PM
- pigpigscorner said...
Congrats to your grandsons! This buttermilk cluster must be really soft and fluffy with all the buttermilk! Sounds really delicious.
- June 8, 2009 at 1:17 PM
- Marty Mason said...
What beautiful grandchildren. Hugs to them for their accomplishments. The buttermilk cluster looks and sounds (and smells) wonderful. But I just scrolled down and found your Sweet Onion Tart recipe. It's printed and ready to be tried in my kitchen. Can't wait. Thanks for sharing your your of cooking.
- June 8, 2009 at 1:40 PM
- aspiritofsimplicity said...
ooh those look so yummy. I may have to try my hand at making them some day. And, congratulations to your grandson.
- June 8, 2009 at 1:44 PM
What a yummy blue recipe - thanks for sharing!
- June 8, 2009 at 1:45 PM
- The Blonde Duck said...
I would inhale that in a single bite!
- June 8, 2009 at 2:05 PM
- Sherrie said...
Congrats to your grandson's on the ribbon! The recipe sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day!!
Sherrie - June 8, 2009 at 2:26 PM
- Unknown said...
That looks so delicious! I'll def. safe that recipe for the day when I can get buttermilk somewhere again :)
Congrats to you grandsons :)! - June 8, 2009 at 3:01 PM
- Maria said...
Congrats to your grandsons! What a beautiful cluster!
- June 8, 2009 at 3:09 PM
- Karen said...
Such gorgeous rolls and I'm sure they are tender, sweet and delicious!
- June 8, 2009 at 3:28 PM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Nicole, welcome to One Perfect Bite. It's delightful to see that you've joined as a regular viewer.
- June 8, 2009 at 3:37 PM
- Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...
I can imagine how proud you are of your grandsons! Congratulations!
Your bread is fabulous! - June 8, 2009 at 4:02 PM
- CailinMarie said...
well, well! congratulations to the grandchildren! that is wonderful. the blue poppy seeds are most interesting, I did not know poppy seeds came in a blue variety. or are they all considered blue? I suddenly realize I am rather unschooled in poppy seeds!
- June 8, 2009 at 4:15 PM
- NKP said...
Such lovely bread, and great news about the boys!
- June 8, 2009 at 4:19 PM
- Lisa said...
Those do look wonderfully delicious!
Congratualtions to your grandsons. - June 8, 2009 at 4:26 PM
- Susan M Hickam said...
Wow! My mouth is watering for buttermilk rolls now. Congrats to your two grandsons. Glad they are still in the will!. Sweetpea Sue-P.S. Thanks for stopping by today.
- June 8, 2009 at 4:27 PM
- Penny said...
Grandchildren are such a delight. Beautiful recipe and I love poppy seeds, except in my teeth.
- June 8, 2009 at 4:50 PM
- Cathy said...
Aren't grandson's wonderful!!! Bless their little hearts.
Your buttermilk bread is beautiful. I can imagine how delicious it is.
I finally got through to your blog. Looks like Susan is having the same problem. So frustrating! - June 8, 2009 at 5:47 PM
- The Cooking Photographer said...
Hi Mary,
How cute! Young children are so much fun. I can just imagine them telling you all about their grades.
This bread. It's so pretty! I need more time to bake everything I have on my list to get to.
Laura - June 8, 2009 at 6:09 PM
- Terry said...
Happy Blue Monday.
Oh wow what a special post.
Congratulations to you all the way around.
I love how you put together such a sweet,fuzzy warm feeling,yummy,and cool creative post together for Blue Monday .
You certainly get a pat on the back for this one :)
Thank you so much for the awesome recipe.
Have a blessed week.
Happy Trails
Hugs - June 8, 2009 at 6:16 PM
- Chef Fresco said...
Oh wow! These look so good! I am definitely going to have to try your recipe!
- June 8, 2009 at 7:24 PM
- Heather S-G said...
Sweet boys :D And of course your bread looks amazing, as always!!
- June 8, 2009 at 8:57 PM
- Creative Classroom Core said...
Could these be any more gorgeous looking?!? They sound fantastic! I bet they smelled heavenly as they baked!
- June 8, 2009 at 10:50 PM
- noble pig said...
Congrats to the boys, that is so wonderful.
The bread is beautiful too and yes ribbon worthy. - June 8, 2009 at 11:20 PM
- La Bella Cooks said...
Wow, just look at their gorgeous golden tops. They look absolutely delicious. I would be eating these straight out of the oven.
Congratulations to your grandson! - June 8, 2009 at 11:36 PM
- Monica said...
WOW! Just fantastic!
I love freshly baked bread!!
Thanks for your lovely comment indeed.
Monica. - June 9, 2009 at 2:05 AM
- Pauline said...
Those look so tasty! I absolutely LOVE bread, and I wish I could reach through the computer screen and take one! They look like delectable mountains or hills.
- June 9, 2009 at 2:43 AM
- Lori said...
How nice was that. Precious kids. I love seeing my Mother beam when she listens to my kids. It rejuvenates me.
BAsed on this beauty I am so looking forward to your buttermilk bonanza! - June 9, 2009 at 9:43 PM
- Poppy Seeds said...
Wow. It looks amazing and yummy. Good recipe. I am surely gonna try it. Poppy seed is rich in B-complex. It is also very useful for health, for those who have sensitive skin, dandruff, hair-loss and many other benefits.
- June 18, 2009 at 6:47 AM
- sheila @ Elements said...
Mmmmmmmm....looks so melt-in-your-mouth delicious!!! I have to make this because they look irresistible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! :) Cheers! sheila
- April 14, 2011 at 2:57 PM
- sheila @ Elements said...
Just wanted to let you know I made the bread and it was wonderful! :) Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! :)
- May 23, 2011 at 1:47 AM
This looks so amazing and soft...I have bookmarked this and will make this soon. Also, many congratulations to you on your grandson getting the President's award...you must be ever so proud!
I love the pictures on your blog..awesome!
-Shilpa - June 6, 2011 at 12:21 PM
- Brittany said...
Made these tonight for the first time and they were amazing!
- December 25, 2012 at 7:50 PM


text:
Dumbest Thing Ever Said to a Cop During DUI Stop
(NEWSER) – He was pulled over with glassy eyes, slurred speech, a boozy smell, and he blew well over the legal limit on his BAC test, so 61-year-old Michael Moore probably couldn't say much to help his case. But this? He "told me that his wife told him that he (had) been drinking too much so he decided to go out and 'drive it off,'" writes his arresting officer in Stuart, Fla., reports UPI. Also, Moore (not the filmmaker), who was pulled over for speeding just after midnight on Feb.13, mentioned that he was headed to a bar for a few more drinks after the spat with his wife, reports TCPalm. Despite his reasonable explanations, Moore got busted on DUI charges.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) Terry Francona of the Cleveland Indians and Clint Hurdle of the Pittsburgh Pirates won the Manager of the Year awards Tuesday after guiding their small-budget teams to charming turnarounds.
Francona edged John Farrell of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox for the American League honor 112 points to 96 in a close vote by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
It was the first Manager of the Year honor for Francona, even though - in an interesting twist - he steered the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. In his first season with the Indians, he directed them to a 24-win improvement and their first playoff berth in six years.
They lost the AL wild-card game to Tampa Bay, but voting is conducted before the postseason.
"This was one of the funnest years I've ever had," Francona said in an interview on MLB Network.
Hurdle was a runaway winner, selected first on 25 of 30 ballots by the NL panel after taking the Pirates to the playoffs in their first winning season since 1992.
Don Mattingly of the Los Angeles Dodgers came in second and Fredi Gonzalez of the Atlanta Braves finished third.
"It's a bit overwhelming, to tell you the truth," Hurdle said. "It's humbling. It's gratifying from an organizational standpoint."
It also was the first Manager of the Year honor for the 56-year-old Hurdle. His highest finish had been third in 2007, when he led the Colorado Rockies to the World Series.
The only other Pittsburgh manager to win the award was Jim Leyland in 1990 and 1992, the bookends to three consecutive division titles for the Pirates.
After that, they endured a record 20 straight losing seasons - the longest drought in any of the four major professional sports - before going 94-68 this year to capture an NL wild card.
"I'm a realist, but I am an optimist," said Hurdle, who has managed the Pirates for three seasons. "Everybody played a part."
Riding a wave of excitement from a rejuvenated fan base in a city finally enthralled by baseball again, Pittsburgh beat the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card game before losing to league champion St. Louis in a division series that went the full five games.
"I said it's the greatest coaching opportunity in all of sports - the opportunity to be part of a select group of men and women that re-bond a city with a ballclub," Hurdle said. "Three years almost to the day that I said it, it's starting to happen."
Hurdle was chosen second on the other five ballots and was the only manager picked on every one. He had 140 points in the 5-3-1 scoring system to 68 points for Mattingly, who received two first-place votes after leading the Dodgers to the NL West title.
Gonzalez got three first-place votes and finished with 43 points.
Mike Matheny of the Cardinals was the only other skipper to appear on a ballot. He was tabbed second by four voters and third by seven.
Francona garnered 16 of 30 first-place votes to 12 for Farrell. Bob Melvin, last year's winner, received the other two and came in third after his low-payroll Oakland Athletics won their second consecutive AL West crown.
Francona never received a first-place vote during eight seasons as manager of the Red Sox. He had never finished higher than fourth in 12 years as a big league skipper.
"It gives me a chance to brag about our organization," Francona said. "When you get an award like this, it's a representation of an organization. I'll gladly accept it, but it's for all those people."


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Duke Nukem Forever the victim of high expectations, says Gearbox
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford talks about how years of anticipation set expectations too high for Duke Nukem Forever, but he's still proud of putting out the product.
Steve WattsMarch 29, 2012 11:15 AM52
Duke Nukem Forever received a pretty icy critical reception, including in our own review, but that doesn't bring down Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford. The passionate developer says he's still very proud of putting out the game, and that its poor response was the product of high expectations.
"There are a lot of people who were perfectly gratified by the game," Pitchford told The Verge, "and there were other people, because of the development effort or because of the way it's been upsold throughout the years, there is just no possible way to meet or exceed such expectations."
Despite the critical reception, he says the studio is extremely proud of the project — though it sounds like his pride is mostly in finally bringing it to fruition. "It's like, it is a miracle. The game exists and we get to see that content with what those guys have been working on for so long. And I love the game, I think it is hilarious frankly."
Looking to the future, Pitchford also talked about how working on Aliens: Colonial Marines feels when so many developers have borrowed from the franchise. "You can feel the influence, you can feel the inspiration, it is not just subtle, it is in your face to the point where the sergeant from Halo is the sergeant from Aliens. It is like the same exact character trope and all the designs of the dropships and stuff, it is all there."
Aliens: Colonial Marines will be shown at PAX East, starting on April 6 in Boston.