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Classic Crisco Pie Crust
Whether you need a single, double or deep-dish pie crust, this trusted recipe is for you.
Single Crust Ingredients
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick or 1/2 cup well-chilled Crisco® shortening
3 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water
Double Crust Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick or 3/4 cup well-chilled Crisco® shortening
4 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water
Deep Dish Double Crust Ingredients
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick or 1 cup well-chilled Crisco® shortening
6 to 10 tablespoons ice cold water
In a medium bowl, blend flour and salt together. Cut chilled shortening into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut in chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture, using a pastry blender, in an up and down chopping motion, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining.
Sprinkle half the maximum recommended amount of ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly into flour. Press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together.*
Shape dough into a ball for single pie crust. Divide dough in two for double crust or double deep dish crust, one ball slightly larger than the other. Flatten ball(s) into 1/2-inch thick round disk(s).**
Roll dough (larger ball of dough for double crust pie) from center outward with steady pressure on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax or parchment paper) into a circle 2-inches wider than pie plate for the bottom crust. Transfer dough to pie plate by loosely rolling around rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing dough into pie plate.
For a SINGLE pie crust, trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired. Bake according to specific recipe directions.
For a DOUBLE pie crust, roll larger disk for bottom crust, trimming edges of dough even with outer edge of pie plate. Fill unbaked pie crust according to recipe directions. Roll out smaller dough disk. Transfer dough carefully onto filled pie. Trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Press edges together to seal and flute as desired. Cut slits in top crust or prick with fork to vent steam. Bake according to specific recipe directions.
Additional Information
* Test dough for proper moistness by squeezing a marble-sized ball of dough in your hand. If it holds together firmly, do not add any additional water. If the dough crumbles, add more water by the tablespoonful, until dough is moist enough to form a smooth ball when pressed together.
** For ease in rolling, wrap dough in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
Two Methods for Pre-baking Pie Crusts (Cream Pies)
Pre-baking without weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Bake crust in lower third of oven, at 425°F (218°C), 16 to 20 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.
Pre-baking with weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Chill or freeze for 30 minutes. Line pie dough snugly with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 375°F (191°C) for 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Reduce oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.


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A still-lukewarm U.S. economy, strong U.S. oil inventories and weakened Japanese energy demand soon may conspire to drive oil prices back down—and this presents an opportunity for transportation investors, says an equity analyst with Standard & Poor's.
Walter Zimmermann, chief technical analyst at United-ICAP who covers a number of energy markets including crude oils and gasoline, has a slightly different tack. Oil prices are nearing a major longer-term, multi-year peak—but while oil prices are likely to peak soon if they haven't already, Zimmerman suggests, gasoline prices stand a good chance of heading even higher.
What's the evidence that oil might be nearing a high, and why consider investment vehicles that could benefit from falling oil prices? "With oil still well over $100 a barrel, it may seem counterintuitive to look for mutual funds that have holdings in transportation stocks, since these are the companies normally most hurt by high and rising oil prices. However, oil prices are not likely to rise forever, and could be near a correction," wrote S&P transportation analyst Jim Corridore (left) in a "Trends & Ideas" comment on Monday.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. commercial crude oil inventories as of April 8 stood at 359.3 million barrels, above the upper limit of the average historical inventory range for this time of year. In addition, inventory levels are above where they stood this time last year, when oil prices were much lower, Corridore argued, saying: "We think that these statistics could support a drop in oil prices from where they are now."
Using S&P's MarketScope Advisor website to screen domestic equity mutual funds with a four- or five-star S&P ranking with high exposure to top holdings in the transportation sector, Corridore pinpointed three mutual funds as good buys. All are still open to new investors and had at least two transportation names in their top 10 holdings.
1) Aston/River Road Dividend All Cap Value Fund (ARDEX) Five-star-rated ARDEX, focused on dividends and value, "might seem a strange place for transportation stocks," Corridore wrote. However, he added, UnitedParcel Service and Norfolk Southern were both in the fund's recent top 10 holdings, and both pay a dividend. Some of ARDEX's other top 10 holdings are Waste Management, Automatic Data Processing and General Mills (GIS 37 *****). "We think this is a more rounded fund than the other two…but would likely still see a benefit if oil prices decline."
2) Fidelity Select Transportation Portfolio (FSRFX) FSRFX is ranked four stars by S&P and focuses on the transportation industry. The fund's
top-10 holdings include UPS, Norfolk Southern, FedEx and Southwest Airlines. Among other positive attributes, the fund has a net expense ratio of 1.03%, comparing favorably to the peer average of 1.52%. The fund also ranked in the top quartile in terms of total return performance versus its fund category and versus its peers for the prior three-year period.
3) Fidelity Select Air Transportation Portfolio (FSAIX) With a more specific focus than the overall transportation sector, four-star-rated FSAIX focuses on the aerospace and airline space. Airlines use hundreds of millions of gallons of jet fuel a year. "We believe airline profitability and stocks would greatly benefit from a large drop in oil prices, were that to occur," Corridore wrote. this fund's recent top 10 holdings include FedEx, UPS, Southwest Airlines and Boeing. FSAIX also has a net expense ratio of 1.05% versus a peer average of 1.52%, and ranked in the top quartile of its fund category and versus its peers for the past three years in terms of total return performance.
Oil Prices May Head Down, but Gasoline…
Zimmermann of United-ICAP presented his argument that oil is near a correction in an interview with AdvisorOne on Thursday. "In our bearish case, our target for pivotal resistance in domestic crude oil, known as WTI, is the $119 to $123 per barrel target zone" Zimmerman said Thursday. "We think it's going to meet a major brick wall of resistance there, and we see a case for a significant retreat. However, this year, for technical reasons relating to price history and the difference between the various markets, there is a case for gasoline to go much higher even though crude oil may have already peaked out."
Near term, Zimmerman's target for NYMEX RBOB gasoline is $3.50 to $3.55 per gallon. Even if crude oil peaks at around $120, he said, there is a chance that RBOB could go quite a bit higher. And the reason for that is the U.S. dollar.
"We think it's about to bottom," he said. "In fact, we attribute the last few weeks' upside in crude oil entirely to the fall in the value of the U.S. dollar. It has absolutely nothing to do with supply, demand, Libya, whatever. It's all about the fall of the dollar. Month by month, week by week, day by day, hour by hour—you can see very clearly what crude oil prices are responding to. There's a three-ring circus here: One ring is crude oil prices, one ring is the U.S. dollar, and one ring is economic expectations as embodied by the S&P 500 Index. The price of oil is now entirely in the hands of economic expectations and the outlook for the U.S. dollar."
And if the price of oil defies Corridore's expectations and continues to rise, how should investors play that rise?
"If you wanted to play the view that oil prices are going to continue to rise, then you'll want to find funds with top 10 holdings in energy," Corridore said in an interview on Wednesday.
Read "Saudis Cut Oil Production, Say Market Is Oversupplied" and "Brent Crude Oil on Rise, Tops $124 per Barrel" at AdvisorOne.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Diabetes UK has a number of tasty treats to help maintain a healthy diet over the Christmas festive period and avoid overindulgence.
The organisation is recommending people take a closer look at their diet at Christmas time and switch some of their traditional festive fare, which is often calorie laden and high in fat and sugar, for healthier but delicious alternatives.
The good news is that the charity has lots of new recipes that are ideal for anyone who is looking for healthier Christmas treats.
The Diabetes UK Enjoy Food recipe options are lower in fat, sugar and salt than much of the food on offer at Christmas time. Party foods, nibbles, canapés, drinks and even Christmas pudding have all been given a healthy makeover to help people maintain a healthy diet over the festive season.
Linda McGlynn, patient engagement manager at Diabetes Scotland, said: "We certainly don't want to be bah humbug and tell people with diabetes, and their family, to deny themselves treats at Christmas. But if you or someone in your family is living with any type of diabetes you may be concerned about how to manage your condition this time of year.
"We are here to help with a variety of delicious recipes including Christmas pudding, beetroot hummus, gingerbread and spicy roasted chickpeas. Each recipe lists the all-important carbohydrate content to make 'carb counting' easy for people with diabetes who need to match their insulin dose to the amount of carbohydrate they are eating. Each recipe also includes protein, fat, saturates, sugars and salt content per portion, as well as calorie information.
"These delicious recipes help people with diabetes to throw parties, enjoy a guilt-free nibble, munch in front of the TV and treat their family, without having to worry too much about what they are eating. We provide clear information on portion sizes too so you can keep an eye on how much you are eating."
Cooking from scratch gives you control over what you eat. By following Diabetes UK's Enjoy Food recipes you'll know the exact amount of carbs, sugar, fat and calories in what you're eating.
Linda added: "Our Enjoy Food recipe hub is a really useful tool for people living with diabetes, for whom physical activity and a healthy balanced diet is key to helping them manage their condition. One or two high blood glucose readings shouldn't affect long-term diabetes control, but people should aim to avoid persistently high readings."
For all Diabetes UK's seasonal recipes why not log on to www.diabetes.org.uk/enjoy-food-whats-new. You will find a host of great tasting festive foods that are low fat, and dairy and gluten free.


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National Ethics Conference Focuses on Entertainment Journalism at Ninth Workshop
Industry experts will discuss topics such as Privacy vs. Adoration; Access to Celebrities; How to Get a Job in Entertainment Media; Stalking and Paparazzi; and Dealing with Publicity and Press Agents.
Celebrities are followed by the paparazzi, have minimal privacy and are constantly in the public eye, yet they still want and need fans and attention. That attention, in the form of entertainment media ethics, is the focus of this year's Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop, "That's Entertainment?" The ninth annual event will take place at Kent State University's Franklin Hall on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Specialized lesson plans will be available online after Labor Day for high school teachers and university professors to use during discussions and assignments on entertainment media ethics into their classrooms.
"We picked entertainment ethics because there's so much entertainment and celebrity journalism available in all media, whether it's TV, online, magazines or newspapers, including tabloids," said Jan Leach, workshop organizer and associate professor in Kent State's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "There's so much spin from publicity departments, movie studios and elsewhere. The news is often part truth and part rumor, but consumers may not know how to distinguish between them. There are so many responsibilities for entertainment journalists."
Additional workshop speakers, in addition to Kelly McBride and Ellyn Angelotti of the Poynter Institute include:
- Glenn Gamboa – Newsday's chief pop music critic. Gamboa headed the paper's team chronicling the impact of hip-hop in America, a project that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2005.
- Nekesa Moody – Entertainment Editor for the Associated Press.
- Andrew Hampp – Senior branding correspondent for Billboard.
- Todd Mesek – Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- Jack Breslin – Associate Professor at Iona College in New York. Breslin did publicity for "Late Night With David Letterman" and worked on "America's Most Wanted" for Fox.
- Bill Frakes – Photographer for Sports Illustrated.
- Kyle Michael Miller – Social media producer for the 4th hour of NBC's Today Show and Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumnus.
- Brittany Moseley – Associate Editor of Alternative Press, which is known for breaking new musical artists like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy and others. Moseley is also a Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna.
- Matthew Parrish – Attorney with Calfee, Halter and Griswold in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a Kent State University political science and Honors College alumnus. Parrish represents musicians, writers, performers and filmmakers and was named "2012 Leading Entertainment Lawyer" in Newsweek magazine.
- Gene Shelton – School of Journalism and Mass Communication Associate Professor and former writer and publicist for Motown Records. Shelton also worked at CBS Records, Columbia and Epic. At Epic, Shelton was Michael Jackson's press agent and wrote the biography for the multi-platinum LP Off The Wall.
- George Thomas – Sportswriter for the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Katy Coduto – Kent State journalism student who writes for London-based Hi! Magazine.
- Wendy Wyatt – Associate Professor and chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism at St. Thomas University in Minnesota. Wyatt is the author of The Ethics of Reality TV: A Philosophical Examination (Continuum, 2012).
Topics will include:
- The New Ethics of Journalism
- Privacy vs. Adoration: Celebrity News as Journalism? Gossip? Both or neither?
- Great Expectations: Who Gets Access to Celebrities and How?
- So You Want to Walk the Red Carpet? - Getting a Job in Entertainment Media
- Act 2: Getting the story and vetting the story: Paparazzi, stalking, ambush interviews, social media
- Encore: Agents, publicists, legal reps
"Entertainment media ethics should appeal to professionals, educators and students, and the public because so many people are fascinated by and obsessed with celebrity news and information," Leach said. "Getting that news and information to a wide audience still requires commitment to accuracy, but journalistic commitment can be thwarted by publicists and others who want tight control of a celebrity's image and schedule."
The program will draw a national audience through live streaming and mobile devices. In-person attendees and Web viewers can contribute to discussions and ask questions via Twitter, using the hashtag #ksuethics13.
"I hope attendees, in person and those who view online, come away with a better understanding that entertainment media and celebrity journalism are still about telling stories and the foundation of that storytelling is, or should be, the truth," Leach said. "There are guidelines for sources, celebrities and journalists that should be respected, such as privacy and harm, and issues that should be addressed, such as access and legal rights."
Detailed information:
What: Ninth annual Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop, "That's Entertainment?" focuses on entertainment ethics
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013
Where: FirstEnergy Auditorium in Franklin Hall, 550 Hilltop Dr., Kent State University
Cost: $25 for media and public relations professionals, $20 for educators and FREE for students
Event website for details and registration: http://mediaethics.jmc.kent.edu/2013
Twitter: #ksuethics13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksumediaethics
Questions: Contact Jan Leach, 330-672-4289 or firstname.lastname@example.com or Jennifer Kramer, 330-672-1960 or email@example.com
The Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop is sponsored by The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Akron Beacon Journal, the Akron Area Chapter of Public Relations Society of America, Kent State University, the College of Communication and Information, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and TeleProductions.
In its 75th year, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University is a leading accredited journalism school with cutting-edge curriculum and facilities. The school's mission is focused on understanding the media marketplace and media-related careers while providing professional undergraduate and master's programs within the liberal arts tradition. JMC teaches its students to gather information, to present it clearly and to think critically within a legal and ethical framework. It serves as a resource for professional practitioners, for media consumers and for Kent State University. For more information, visit kent.edu/jmc.


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Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Woody Duh (杜紫軍) has been busy defending the cross-strait service trade agreement on television lately. As a lecturer in international trade regulations at National Chung Cheng University, I think some of his assertions contradict the basic rules of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) employed by the WTO.
Both Duh and the Ministry of Economic Affairs say repeatedly that the impact of opening up the selected service sectors to Chinese investment will be insignificant — since many Chinese service sectors are not competitive and some in Taiwan are already saturated. They say that the Chinese will be reluctant to invest in the Taiwanese market. This reasoning can still be seen in a section called "24 crucial issues concerning the cross-strait service trade agreement" on the ministry's Web site.
However, dispute settlement regulations of both the GATT and the WTO repeatedly state that the organization aims to "protect expectations of equal competitive relationships." The fact that this has effects on trade, whatever they may be, it is not a reason to argue that domestic law violates these regulations.
According to WTO regulations, if country A and country B are both member states, and if A levies a 5 percent tax on bicycles manufactured domestically, it must levy the same tax on bicycles manufactured in country B when they are sold in country A in order to ensure full conformity with the national treatment principle. If A levies a 6 percent tax on bicycles imported from B, it would be violating B's expectations of fair competition. Even if B has not yet sold any bicycles to A, it can still claim that A has violated the principle.
If the sales and revenues of the bikes from country B are higher than those manufactured domestically in country A, A can not argue that levying a 6 percent domestic tax on B's bikes is not a violation of the national treatment principle, because trade effect cannot be cited as a reason for such an argument. The ministry, then, can not claim that the pact is fair just because the ministry itself thinks the impact on Taiwan will be insignificant.
The signing of the pact will bring both advantages and disadvantages. Did Taiwan and China sign the agreement as equals? The government, industry and the public seem to disagree on this point, but since Taiwan is set to open certain service sectors, the impact on the nation will be wide and deep. The ministry should therefore stop saying that the agreement will have an insignificant impact, based on insufficient research by related agencies. As a matter of fact, the GDP forecasts by President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) administration or those of the economic institutions it entrusts is inaccurate almost every year. The constant changes to these forecasts has made the government a laughingstock. Given these circumstances, how can officials expect to be taken seriously?
Moreover, putting aside international trade regulations, why do officials constantly defend China and try to rationalize all the possible disadvantages to Taiwan? Again, according to the question-and-answer section on the ministry's Web site, it seems China will profit less than Taiwan. It brings to mind the axiom that "there is no such thing as a free lunch" — is such an imbalanced trade agreement really credible?


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1381.8 - ACT and Region . . . A Statistical Atlas, 2004
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 05/04/2004
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ABS maps the stats for ACT and region
A new view of the population, family and housing characteristics of the Australian Capital Territory and region, through a series of maps, was released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The 26 colour maps in the publication ACT and Region . . . A Statistical Atlas (cat. no. 1381.8) illustrate a range of social, demographic and economic characteristics for the ACT and the surrounding Australian Capital Region (ACR).
Topics covered range from median monthly mortgages to fertility rates. Each topic has two maps, one for the ACT and one for the ACR, for comparison between ACT suburbs and between the ACT and surrounding areas.
Some highlights from the publication include:
Media please note: Copies of the publication are available on request for reporting purposes.
Document Selection
These documents will be presented in a new window.


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WORCESTER — A former Fitchburg priest pleaded guilty today to possessing child pornography on his computer and stealing from his parish.
At Worcester Superior Court, the Rev. Lowe Dongor was sentenced to five years probation and has to repay $750 in retribution to the Diocese of Worcester.
Timothy Connolly, spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., said prosecution was seeking a one- to three-year state prison sentence for Dongor as well as five years probation.
Dongor pleaded guilty to charges of possession of child pornography and larceny over $250. Charges related to Dongor's escape to the Philippines while on bail were not mentioned and Connolly did not have information on that issue immediately.
In June 2011 a computer expert found pornographic images of underage girls on Dongor's computer. While confessing to police about the images, he admitted to stealing money from St. Joseph Parish in Fitchburg, where he had been stationed as a priest since 2010.
Dongor was arraigned on Sept. 10, 2011, for those charges and fled to the Philippines before his next court appearance scheduled for Oct. 25, 2011.
He was caught in December by authorities in the Philippines in December 2012 and extradited to Los Angeles on Dec. 10 before being sent back to Massachusetts the same month.


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OXO Silicone Flexible Spatulas
Easy, hassle-free returns online and in-store for eligible items.Learn More
Earn 5% Back in rewards4 plus free standard shipping3every day when you shop with your Williams Sonoma credit card at Williams Sonoma.Apply Now Learn More
- Summary
Combining the strength of stainless steel with the advantages of silicone, OXO's offset spatulas are heat resistant to 600°F and safe for use with all cookware and bakeware, including pans with nonstick finishes. The durable spatulas have soft, comfortable, nonslip grips for easy turning and maneuverability even when you're hands are wet.
- Thin, flexible silicone head with an angled edge that glides easily beneath food without damaging it.
- Heat resistant to 600°F.
- Sturdy, durable construction with a comfortable nonslip handle and silicone head bonded to a flexible stainless-steel core.
- Safe for nonstick cookware, bakeware and electrics.
- Dimensions & More Info
- Large: 4'' wide, 12 1/2'' long.
- Small: 3 1/4'' wide, 11 1/4'' long.
- Made in China.
- Use & Care
- Dishwasher safe.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Snorkelgal from Lasts for years I bought this spatula at least 5 years ago in a WIlliam-Sonoma store and use it a couple of times a week. It still looks and works like new. As one reviewer noticed it isn't great for some jobs--metal pans where food is stuck, etc. It's easy to reach for a all metal spatula when happens. I still give it 5 stars!Date published: 2017-04-30Rated 5 out of 5 by skatz from Great spatula Love this, it slides smoothly across the pan and is easy to clean. Great quality. love love. we have 2, small and large and use them all the time.Date published: 2017-01-10Rated 1 out of 5 by clip from My least favorite spatula ever It is so flexible that it doesn't flip pancakes well. It is difficult to get under the pancake. I can't use it to get cookies off the cookie sheet for the same reason. I have a large and a small size and I really dislike both. I would never get these again.Date published: 2016-04-25Rated 5 out of 5 by SFskies from Another OXO Winner I needed a large flexible spatula for turning or removing food from pans, sheets, skillets, etc. This one does the job. The handle stays cool, which is a plus in my opinion.Date published: 2016-01-21Rated 5 out of 5 by kittyfox from OXO really works I love the brand and this spatula really works. Stores easy. I also own both sizes,Date published: 2015-02-03Rated 4 out of 5 by Frazie from I like this spatula I like the design. It is stiff enough to lift things out of a pan, but flexible enough to slide under easily. Cleans up nicely.Date published: 2015-01-15Rated 4 out of 5 by mmanders from Love the large surface I bought this spatula to replace an old plastic one that was starting to crack. I like almost everything about it. My one complaint is that the handle should be heat resistant. I melted two little grooves in it the first time I used it.Date published: 2013-03-26Rated 5 out of 5 by deborahD from best pancake flipper I've been looking for a good sturdy pancake spatula. This is it! Not only does it work on buttermilk pancakes, but it also does a nice job with omeletsDate published: 2013-03-16


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The finance industry beat the nation as a whole when it came to retirement savings and employees of larger finance and insurance companies had higher average retirement-account balances than both their counterparts at smaller finance and insurance companies and Vanguard plans as a whole, a Vanguard report released on July 7 shows.
This year, for the first time, Vanguard also released industry-focused reports that analyze the behavior of plan participants in specific industries, including finance and insurance. The findings are part of Vanguard's "How America Saves 2011," the latest annual report to investigate retirement-planning trends that is based on 2010 data of more than 2 million plan participants.
Average participation in defined-contribution plans at finance and insurance companies was higher than the Vanguard average participation rate of 74 percent. Plan participation was 83 percent for larger finance and insurance firms (with more than 1,000 employees) and 82 percent for smaller finance and insurance companies (fewer than 1,000 employees).
At $96,658, the average retirement-account balance of staff in smaller finance and insurance companies was higher than those of participants in overall plans ($79,077) and larger finance and insurance company plans ($77,587).
The study also found that, in 2010, 64 percent of larger finance and insurance companies had an auto-enrollment plan versus 19 percent of the smaller companies and 24 percent of all Vanguard plans. The average deferral rate was 6.8 percent for smaller finance and insurance firm plans and Vanguard plans in aggregate last year. It was 6.6 percent for larger finance and insurance firms.
National Results
Across eight industries, the plans of small utility firms (with a 92 percent participation rate) and large mining companies (with an 88 percent participation rate) had the best enrollment rates in the report.
On average, participants in the plans of both small and large utilities saved at a higher rate than their counterparts in the other industry plans. Their 9.0 percent and 8.2 percent average contribution rates, respectively, surpassed the 6.8 percent average for Vanguard plans in aggregate. The plans of large manufacturing companies lagged with a 6.5 percent average contribution rate.
Auto enrollment plans were far more prevalent at large manufacturing companies: 67 percent of large manufacturing companies had such a plan versus 24 percent for all Vanguard plans.
Large plans tended to offer target-date funds more prevalently than smaller plans: Ninety-three percent of large ambulatory health-care firms offered TDFs, far surpassing the 79 percent of all Vanguard plans offering the funds. The standout in terms of small-industry plans was utilities, 94 percent of which offered TDFs.
At $237,081, the average account balance of participants in plans of large mining companies was significantly higher than the average account balance of participants in Vanguard plans collectively ($79,077). In contrast, the lowest average account balance was the $63,697 for participants in large information services company plans.
The "How America Saves 2011" industry benchmark reports are based on Vanguard's 2010 record-keeping data for nearly 2.2 million participants in 1,552 qualified defined-contribution plans offered by companies in the ambulatory health care; finance and insurance; information services; legal services; manufacturing; mining, oil and gas extraction; technology; and utility industries.


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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Feeble Giants Get Skunked in Denver
The mighty Washington Nationals, fresh off a 13-4 thumping at the hands of the San Diego Padres, bring their 23-21 record and -17 run differential to AT&T Park tomorrow. It's at home, fer chrissakes, so I like the Giants chances.
4 comments:
- nomisnala said...
I am waiting to read the official excuses, mass illnesses, that the giants will claim after playing like the 1962 Mets. This time I think Sabean throws down the gauntlet. Effing show up to play, or get out-righted to Miami.
- Sun May 19, 08:16:00 PM PDT
For those of us who have been around the block with the Giants a time or two, we remember the time of the season that we affectionately referred to as the June Swoon. Well forgot June, we're now Astray in May. Beam me up Scotty. What the hell is going on? What happened to the team that swept the Dodgers? What happened to the D? What happened to 11 strike outs over 8 innings with a save posted in the 9th? Gents, I was hoping for a better birthday present yesterday, but was once again disappointed. My bad. Back in the Candlestone days, I would not be complaining (at least not very loudly) much, but you have raised the bar significantly with 2 - count em 2 - World Series Championships in three years. Take some extra batting practice, play more catch with your kids, sleep in on a Sunday or barbecue your favorite hunk of (you fill in the blank) .......... Losing sucks - Get over it. Nuff said........
- Mon May 20, 07:24:00 AM PDT
On this road trip, the Giants gave up 52 runs, 42 by the starters in 29.1 innings (32 of those were earned runs). Zito pitched twice. Matt Cain was the only starter to make it into the 6th. They committed 13 fielding errors and numerous mental ones. The bullpen is clearly over worked. I wrote about how the problem was not with the starters, but now it seems to be exactly that, although not entirely as the errors had a lot to do with this rolling debacle. Unless they start looking a whole lot better maybe something needs to be done. Add a sixth starter for couple weeks to get a little more rest for our aces? Would that even help? What if it doesn't? Who would that person be? In any case, the errors have got to be eliminated. It seems like many of them are in the early part of the game, just to put the Giants in a hole.
- Mon May 20, 09:37:00 AM PDT
- nomisnala said...
Some of those errors, were made by the pitchers. Bumgarner and Lincecum did not help their own causes. At least one or maybe two more games could have been won on the road trip had they not fielded as if they were a Tee ball team.
- Mon May 20, 10:54:00 PM PDT


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Volunteer of the Year for Scotland - Bill Telfer
Volunteer of the Year for Scotland - Bill Telfer
Bill has always maintained that cutting the relative speeds between motor vehicles and cyclists is probably the single most important thing that can be done to make cycling safer and more attractive.
He started to volunteer after he realised that few people were prepared to get around by bike on Langholm's streets, even though cycling should be a natural choice in such a small town (pop 2,200).
The A7 trunk road bisects the town, creating a real sense of danger and severance in the community. Many vulnerable road users are frightened to walk along some sections of pavement adjacent to this kind of motor traffic.
In 2011, Bill and a local shopkeeper decided to launch a 20mph speed limit campaign and it gained huge support. They launched a petition in autumn 2011 calling for 'Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Scottish Government to introduce a 20mph speed limit on all residential roads in Langholm, including the High Street'. It now has more than 600 signatories.
Bill has written leaflets, made posters, advertised, had letters to the press published, and circulated a massive amount of information explaining the benefits of slower speeds to Council and Government officials, to South of Scotland MSPs.
He brought Rod King, founder of '20's Plenty for US' to Langholm and organised a meeting chaired by MSP Elaine Murray.
Bill also encouraged a local councillor to draw up his own 'survey' because he insisted that his survey would ''give the community the opportunity to really express its view on whether it thinks '20 is plenty' for Langholm or not''. The result was that 71% residents voted ''Yes.''
However, a major obstacle has been Transport Scotland priorities for trunk roads. They say ''Due to their strategic importance, it is general practice that trunk roads should be kept free from obstruction to permit the efficient movement of goods and vehicles.'' Up until now they have adhered to a dogma that they could on no account reduce the speed limit to 20mph.
Bill has persistently refused to accept this, and Transport Scotland has now agreed to trial 20mph on trunk roads in four Scottish towns, including Langholm. These trials suggest they can admit they were wrong. The campaign, however, continues, since the Local Authority may still have to be convinced that all the other streets in the town should also be 20mph.


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Outdoor Plug Housing
Outdoor Plug Housing
There are too many to list. The NEMA 14-50 is the standard plug all RVs use and they are always outside. Your electrician won't have any problem in getting one. Some even allow the cable to be locked when plugged in.
Try these from Home Depot. Outlet Internet #202066681. Outdoor box Internet #202284506. Cover Internet #100181101. You can find them online at homedepot.com
I installed a Connecticut Electric CESMPS54HR weatherproof RV outlet:
It is a very well made unit, but be aware that the power feed must come from above or below - there are no knockouts on the back or sides.
Also, the door won't close while the Tesla charger is plugged in. However, given the protection the eaves provide, the way the outlet is recessed, and the GFCI breaker feeding this outlet, I think I'm safe.
Here is the Connecticut Electric CESMPS54HR on Amazon:


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Daily Self-Guided Living History Tour
Monday, May 27 10:00am - 4:00pm
Historic Roscoe Village 600 N Whitewoman St, Coshocton, OH 43812
Self-Guided Tour Season, May 25 to September 2, 2019
The self-guided tours begin on Saturday, May 25, 2019 and run through September 2, 2019. The living history buildings will open seven days a week at 10:00AM and will close at 4:00PM. Please allow 2 hours minimum for the tour.
Living History Tours*
Adult - $10.95 Student - $4.95
Seniors (60+) - $9.95
Purchase tickets at the Visitor Center or the Toll House.
*Military Veterans with ID - $4.95
**Roscoe Village Members receive discounted rates.
Purchase Tickets
Event Photos
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John Metcalfe
John Metcalfe was CityLab's Bay Area bureau chief, covering climate change and the science of cities.
Faahlooosh! That's the sound of another Toilet Tuesday going down:
Daxing Ecological Community, a spiffy apartment complex in Inner Mongolia built around environmental ideas, has quietly pulled out all of its waterless eco-toilets due to rampant, and frequently disgusting, user complaints. The commodes in Ordos City, designed by the Stockholm Environment Institute, comprised the most ambitious eco-toilet experiment in the world, according to this fascinating account in China Dialogue. The loos separate pee from poop (which is collected to make fertilizer) and use sawdust instead of H20 to cover up smells.
However, the odor-blocking tech did not work as planned, and the stench got so bad that residents began eating their dinners on the balcony or at the homes of relatives. One man carped that when winter came, he could feel all the warm air in his apartment being sucked down his toilet. Then there was this dear-god-really? issue for women:
The sawdust used in the toilets created other concerns for Wang Cuilan and the other women living at Daxing: the sawdust that drifted upwards caused them vaginal discomfort, they said. And they exchanged tips on how to relieve the irritation, such as boiling up willow leaves.
After the maggots and roaches made their appearance, a mob of angry homeowners blockaded a local bureaucrat inside an apartment so he could fully experience the awfulness. Today, the residents of Daxing use regular flushing toilets.
The definition of a "public toilet" is set to get a little broader in Massachusetts cities – if you have an "eligible medical condition," that is. A bill moving through the bowels of the state government would require businesses that wall off their bathrooms to customers to open them up to people with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. If the governor signs it, snooty cashiers who don't like plebes using their private thrones will be rendered defenseless against anyone bearing a doctor's note, or face a $100 fine. I guess it's finally time to expand the "Wicked Good Guide to Boston Restrooms"?
The bill was sponsored by the legislative dream team of Creem, Timilty & Joyce, who note that about 30,000 Massachusetts residents suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases. "This bill will mean a great deal to people living with these diseases," said Sen. Brian Joyce. "It will mean they will not need to fear going out in public without having to factor in the locations of public restrooms." Despite a dozen other states having similar laws on the books, however, businesses have fought this bill hard partly due to liability issues from slips and falls. Retailers Association of Massachusetts President Jon Hurst claimed to the Boston Herald that his members were being unfairly singled out: "Why not banks, why not office buildings, why not government buildings? I walk into the State House and see a lot of locked bathrooms."
From a fact sheet for Star Toilet Paper, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company that prints advertisements on toilet paper:
The major reason that companies are hesitant to advertise with us is because of the stigma attached to advertising on toilet paper; but advertising is defined as a way to draw attention to your product and obtain new customers. Does this not seem like the perfect way to do so? Did you know that over 75% of people said they would read advertisements and coupons placed on toilet paper?
We use soybean based ink and a 30 year old printing process to ensure that all toilet paper is septic safe, recycled, and comfortable to use....
Consumers want two things: the cheapest and the easiest product. We ensure you excel in both of these ways!
Advertise where everyone will see!
Top image of "The Privy at Goat Peak," in Washington State, by Curt Smith.
The troubled coworking company is the largest office tenant in New York City. What happens to the city's commercial real estate market if it goes under?
In the 1930s big auto dreamed up freeways and demanded massive car infrastructure. Micromobility needs its own Futurama—one where cars are marginalized.
Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods saw a crime decline, but recently, their violent crime rates have rebounded while other areas continue to improve.
Members of the Democratic Socialists of America have been elected to local office on platforms that reject capitalism and promote working-class interests.
A just-approved plan will redesign Market Street to favor bikes, pedestrians, and public transit vehicles. But the vote to ban private cars didn't happen overnight.


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Elegant Edge
A downsized home is a harmonious blend of his and hers
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With both of their daughters successfully launched, Jim and Elsie Henderson were in perfect accord on a pair of polar opposite, his-and-her essentials for their newly purchased, downsized home. The impeccably kept 1954-vintage house in the heart of Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood had to serve as a sophisticated modern-art gallery with a soupçon of edginess for him. And it had to provide a cozy, every-chair-feels-fantastic traditional comfort zone for her. To put such apparently mismatched goals under a single harness (think Lipizzaner meets My Little Pony) and somehow produce in-sync, high-stepping style, they turned to a friend, interior designer Martha Reeves.
"They wanted a smaller house," Reeves explains, "and bought this one because its beautiful windows and glass doors are so conducive to showcasing Jim's collection of modern art." (He's a lawyer by day, and an art lover every minute. In addition to collecting, he volunteers as chairman of the board of Atlanta's esteemed High Museum.) "Sunshine just pours in and highlights the art," observes the designer.
Jump-started by the natural light, Reeves's first order of business was selecting a palette. She chose subtle, warm hues that would satisfy Jim and Elsie's disparate goals. "We knew we wanted a neutral background to bring out the art, but I also wanted to find tones that Elsie would feel comfortable to live with throughout the day. [Though she, too, has a law degree, Elsie was a stay-at-home mom before emptying the nest.] That meant something warm."
"My husband is the art person; I'm the homey person," Elsie says. "Martha gave us a palette that shows off the art and is a pleasure for me to live with."
Finding just the right hue for the walls in the living and music rooms took some time. "What I loved most about working with Martha was her patience," explains Elsie. "We didn't feel rushed to make any snap decisions. Even with the paint, she would slap color on the walls and come back early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and again at night to see how it looked." Nothing looked quite right at all times of day and night until Reeves remembered an out-of-production "peanut" paint color--one of her all-time favorites. "We kind of dusted it off from the Pratt & Lambert archives," the designer laughs.
To ensure that Carolyn Carr's dramatic Woman with Chicken popped above the living room fireplace, Reeves covered the glass-paned doors to an enclosed courtyard in a subtle, solid-hued silk a few shades deeper than the walls. Simple panels were the best treatment, not only to keep the focus on the art, but because of how the doors are made. "They're really cool," says Reeves. "They roll into the walls, instead of opening up." The doors lead to an oasis with verdant tiered walls, white-blossomed viburnum, and a fountain.
Draperies in the music room also are fabricated as simple panels in a colorway that plays off the peanut-colored walls, but they pick up the tempo in a plaid silk that works well with the abstract art behind the piano. "They add a little visual rhythm without detracting from the art," Reeves explains.
Because the Hendersons were downsizing from a larger home, Reeves was able to recycle many of their existing furnishings, fossicking out the very best. "Going through their big house to select favorite pieces for this smaller home was like a fabulous shopping expedition," she insists. Upholstered pieces, including the sofa and fireplace armchairs, moved from one living room to the next; other furnishings, like one of the antique French sideboards, were assigned new stations--a focal point in their previous home's entry, the sideboard now commands one end of the living room.
The more intimate scale of the new home's dining room required a smaller table. "We bought a new oval table, but we were able to move the English chairs right into the smaller home," notes Reeves. "Same thing with the handwrought-iron French chandelier--we just moved it from their previous home's dining room to this one."
Even a favorite rug that had warmed the great room in the previous residence was serviceable in the downsize. Cut in half, it now covers the wood floors of both the living room and the library. "Elsie's mother had seen this historical pattern in a manor house in England, and we had it reproduced for the other house. [Reeves's mother designed the Hendersons' last home with her daughter's assistance.] It was made in England on 27-inch looms, which provided for a very easy split. Mathematically, it was meant to be," laughs Reeves.
Unlike so many decorating efforts, this one started with a clean slate. "The house was in pristine condition when they bought it," says Reeves. Even certain pieces left behind by the previous owners--a fringed light fixture in the library, an oversized mirror in the living room--were retained by Reeves. Instead of removing the mirror, she mounted art on top of it for a one-of-a-kind effect that's arch and fun. Instead of losing the funky hanging lamp in the library, she made it both fillip and focal point with the addition of a tiny table and a chair. "It's off-center, it's quirky, it just speaks to you," Reeves says.
"Martha really made it a fun process," reflects Elsie. "She worked with what we love--Jim's art, and family pieces that have meaning for me. I wanted every chair to be comfortable, and she got that. Certain things moved well from one house to the other, but there were a few blank spots. For those, she brought pieces over and let us live with them for a while. To me, that's the perfect match in a decorator. Someone who allows you to take your time before investing in something you'll be living with for a long time to come." Both homeowners love the results: edgy for him, comfy for her--harnessed in perfect harmony.
Architect: Norman Askins, Norman Davenport Askins Architects, 2995 Lookout Place N.E., Atlanta, GA 30305; 404/233-6565, normanaskins.com.
Interior design: Martha D. Reeves, Newman Reeves Designs, 3111 Northside Dr. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30305, 404/402-9746, newmanreevesdesigns.com.
Photography: Emily Followill
Produced by Eleanor Roper
Traditional meets modern in the music room with a circa-1890 Mahal Persian rug, a circa-1810 Swedish case clock bought for the space, a funky vintage French Z chair, and a large abstract by Rocio Rodriguez.
Area rug (Mahal c.1890 Persia): Rugs by Robinson, 404/364-9042, rugsbyrobinson.com.
Swedish case clock (antique): Jerry Pair, 404/261-6337, jerrypair.com.
Large painting behind piano (by Rocio Rodriguez); drawing between windows (A Young Man in Florence, by Michael Hurson): Travis & Co., 404/237-5079.
Iron side table: Holly Hunt, 312/661-1900, hollyhunt.com.
Armless chair (#103): Travis & Co., 404/237-5079.
Chair fabric ("Durham Stripe"/Dark Brown #402947, by Travers): Zimmer + Rohde, 866/627-6899, zimmer-rohde.com.
Piano chair ("Z Chair," vintage): Travis Antiques, 404/233-7207.
Wooden bowl (by Philip Moulthrop): Signature Shop & Gallery, 404/237-4426.
Drapery ("Farrand Plaid"/Charcoal, Beige #106971, by Travers): Zimmer + Rohde, 866/627-6899, zimmer-rohde.com.
Drapery rods (bronze): Ravan Inc., 404/231-3929.
Paint: custom.
Planter: GraciousNest, 404/402-9746.
A Henry Moore lithograph graces the hallway.
Lithograph (Reclining Nude, by Henry Moore): owner's collection.
Bench ("Italian Bench"/Red Kutani #6093 28): Minton-Spidell Inc, 310/836-0403, minton-spidell.com.
Bench fabric ("Corday Horsehair Textured"/Black #80939-09): Brunschwig & Fils, 800/538-1880, brunschwig.com.
Rug (antique): Rugs by Robinson, 404/364-9042, rugsbyrobinson.com.
Pillows: GraciousNest, 404/402-9746.
Paint ("Linen White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667.
Stool: Travis Antiques, 404/233-7207.
Recycled from the owners' previous home, a massive English repro custom rug was cut into two smaller rugs, one of which covers the living room floor.
Rug (custom): Stark Carpet, 212/752-9000, starkcarpet.com.
Wall paint (custom): Pratt & Lambert, 800/289-7728, prattandlambert.com.
Lamps and shades (custom): Edgar-Reeves Lighting & Antiques, 404/237-1137, edgar-reeves.com.
Mantel: original to home.
Candlesticks on mantel (by Seguso Viro): High Museum Shop, 404/733-4814, high.org.
Painting (Woman with Chicken, by Carolyn Carr): owner's collection.
Wooden bowl (by Philip Moulthrop): Signature Shop & Gallery, 404/237-4426.
Cast-iron benches (by Christian Liaigre): Holly Hunt, 312/661-1900, hollyhunt.com.
Pair of armchairs (#860): Travis & Co., 404/237-5079.
Chair fabric ("Kiwi"/Ivoire #F2664002): Pierre Frey, 212/213-3099, pierrefrey.com.
Trim (by Houlès): Brunschwig & Fils, 800/538-1880, brunschwig.com.
Coffee table (custom): Grizzel & Mann, 404/261-5932.
Glass vase: GraciousNest, 404/402-9746.
Sofa (#2015): O. Henry House Ltd., 336/431-5350, ohenryhouseltd.com.
Sofa fabric: Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900, cowtan.com.
Pillows: GraciousNest, 404/402-9746.
Chair: Travis Antiques, 404/233-7207.
Chair fabric (#4146-02): Samarcand Selections, 336/841-8777.
Drapery ("Newport"/Sabbia, #10042003, by Fadini Borghi): Pierre Frey, 866/707-1524, pierrefrey.com.
Drapery rods (bronze): Ravan Inc., 404/231-3929.
Round table in foreground ("Half Moon Pedestal Table"): Corbin Bronze Ltd., 913/766-4012, corbinbronze.com.
Wooden box on pedestal table: Takashimaya, 212/350-0100, takashimaya.com.
Designer Martha Reeves reinvented the big gilt mirror left by the previous homeowners as a wall surface for displaying art--an abstract, Symbols 81-1, by Ida Kohlmeyer. The painting and its unusual presentation bring modern verve to the antique French chest just below and to the chest-flanking circa-1800 French walnut chairs (one shown), which still sport their original needlepoint.
Chairs (antique, with original needlepoint): Walker McIntyre Antiques, 404/352-3722.
French chest; mirror; painting attached to mirror (Symbols 81-1, by Ida Kohlmeyer); statue on chest (Gaddi'el, in bronze bluestone, by Boaz Vaadia); art reflected in mirror (Synthesis a-87, by Ida Kohlmeyer): owner's collection.
Bowl (by Marc Granberry); vases (by Simon Levin, Corey Roth): Signature Shop & Gallery, 404/237-4426.
Pedestal table ("Half Moon Pedestal Table"): Corbin Bronze Ltd., 913/766-4012.
Wooden box: Takashimaya, 212/350-0100.
Glass vase: GraciousNest, 404/402-9746.
In the dining room, a new Brazilian walnut table is paired with English chairs from the Hendersons' previous home. Roberto Juarez's Garlic and Oranges hangs above a family heirloom sideboard. The Oushak rug is circa 1910.
Table (custom, walnut; for similar, "Warren Pedestal Table,"/Mahogany): First Circle, 405/528-2828, firstcircle.net. Through Grizzel & Mann, 404/261-5932, grizzelandmann.com.
Sideboard; sterling silver punch bowl; painting (Garlic and Oranges,by Roberto Juarez); dining chairs: owner's collection.
Marble lamps; custom shades: Edgar-Reeves Lighting & Antiques, 404/237-1137, edgar-reeves.com.
Rug (Oushak): Rugs By Robinson, 404/364-9042, rugsbyrobinson.com.
Chairs: owner's collection.
Chair fabric (discontinued): Clarence House Ltd., 800/803-2850, clarencehouse.com.
Wall paint ("Bennington Gray" #HC-82); trim paint ("Linen White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Chandelier (custom): Travis & Co., 404/237-5079, travisandco.com.
Glass urn: GraciousNest, 404/402-9746.
A lamp that came with the house gives the library an insouciant attitude.
Chair by window: Formations, 310/659-3062.
Chair fabric ("Crosby Woven"/Beige #403721, by Travers): Zimmer + Rohde, 866/627-6899.
Pillow: owner's collection.
Ottoman ("Windsor" #56007); ottoman fringe (#FB1331-2): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Ottoman leather ("Royal Hide"/Balsa #RH13): Edelman Leather, 800/866-8339, edelmanleather.com.
Side table beside chair ("Josephine Drink Table"/Graphite #8085-D-M): PierceMartin, 800/334-8701, piercemartin.com.
Hanging lamp (antique): Travis & Co., 404/237-5079.
The master bedroom was designed from scratch, with its palette set by the gorgeous atmospheric painting by Miriam DeHority. Silk striped curtains key into the colors of the art, as the silk duvet does to the chair.
Painting (by Miriam Newman): Miriam Newman, 772/546-920.
Blanket chest; bronze sculpture (Portrait d'Ariance, by Isabelle Melchior ): owner's collection.
Chair; fabric: Nancy Corzine, 212/223-8340, nancycorzine.com.
Drapery ("Bellini Stripe"/Blue, Cream #10941-04): Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900.
Trim (#175): Travis & Co., 404/237-5079.
Bed cover: Silk Trading Co., 323/954-9280, silktrading.com.
Pillow with stripe ("Three Lines"): Pratesi Linens, 212/288-2315, pratesi.com.
Glass lamps ("Cylinder Lamp"): The Wicker Works, 415/558-6700, thewickerworks.com.
Carpet: Stark Carpet, 212/752-9000.
Screen fabric ("Tana" #1269.921): Zimmer-Rohde, 866/627-6899, zimmer-rohde.com.
Jim and Elsie Henderson on their patio.
Their designer, Martha Reeves, doesn't need to sell anyone on her virtues as a decorator--happy clients like the Hendersons are the best PR possible. "Martha is a master of color," enthuses Elsie, who grew close to the designer years ago when their then-young daughters became BFFs. Reeves's tips for working with color:
Don't compromise
For example, Elsie notes that "Martha refused to allow us to compromise on the colors of our bedroom's curtain fabric, even though it meant waiting an extra six to eight months. She could tell that something was 'off,' and she insisted on waiting for another production and shipment from the factory in France."
The curtain fabric was "probably only off a tenth of a degree," adds Elsie, "but Martha was absolutely right. It was worth the wait. It's about getting what you pay for."
Take your time
Paint color looks different in different light. "We spent two months testing paints on the walls in the living room and music room," says Reeves. "The only sure way to get the color you want is to slap it on the walls and live with it day and night, observing it at different times." Paint chips are for starting the process, not for making the final decision, she maintains.


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GMG 40: Passion Pit: Hold On Tight
By Laura Studarus; photos by Jason Nocito on August 15, 2012
Michael Angelakos chooses his words carefully. Not prone to verbal fumbling, the Passion Pit frontman speaks in deliberate fits and starts as he searches his mental data banks for the proper shade of meaning. That is, until he hits upon a particularly intriguing line of thought, sparking a queue of rapidly falling conversational dominos that seemingly stretches into the distance, his narrative tenses slipping from first person to second person and back. "Sometimes I'll get fixated on a certain subject and I'll just go off," Angelakos says good-naturedly, after a question about sincerity in indie rock turns into a rant about guilty pleasures. (For the record: he's anti-guilt.) "Stop me if I keep going," he laughs, aware of his ability to get swept away in an idea.
It's a light moment for the Passion Pit frontman, who admits culling much of his band's material from his own inner turmoil. Having first achieved notoriety on the strength of its 2008 debut EP Chunk of Change—recorded as a belated Valentine's Day gift for Angelakos' then-girlfriend—the band (which also features Ian Hultquist, Jeff Apruzzese and Nate Donmoyer) followed it up with a proper debut, Manners, in 2009.
Although Angelakos admits that he hasn't idealized the life of a full-time musician since aspiring to the position at the age of 6, the rapid shift from unknown tunesmith to blog fodder was a difficult transition. Faced with the pressure of creating a follow-up and compounded with events in his personal life that he's hesitant to discuss, Angelakos entered what he calls a "very dark period."
"You couldn't really get away with not talking about these issues," he admits. "I can't even believe that half the stuff happened to me, that I did these things or that I said these things. I can't make sense of it."
The emotional yet oblique upheaval clings to every corner of Passion Pit's new album. Gossamer's upbeat, candy-colored electro-pop songs (featuring orchestral arrangements by Nico Muhly) are littered with references to booze, pills, broken relationships and heartbreak of every stripe. Although, with lines such as, "We all have problems, we're all having problems and we've all got something to say," juxtaposed with a sea of squiggles, the turmoil of its creator could easily slip under the radar, which, as Angelakos admits, would suit him just fine.
"It's pretty embarrassing sometimes to share with the world what are some dark moments, but there's something to be said about that," he says, warning against the idea that the album can be used as a sort of Rosetta stone to understanding him as a person. "The catharsis of it is tremendous. I've never understood when artists talk about their music and say 'it's very painful to play these songs, because it reminds me of this time.' When I made these songs I was in a very skewed state. I don't really remember those times specifically. I look back and it's an enriching experience...I can make sense of what's happened. That's when you know you're in a good place."
Angelakos places the credit for his journey towards emotional wellness on his friends, bandmates and family—particularly his fiancée, Kristy, who, in the thick of things, served as an almost-constant support system. "I was in a dark place with someone else there that really loved me and that I love," he says. "So [Gossamer] is about the strain of going through it and making a relationship work under these terrible conditions. Ultimately, I can say that it's a happy ending."
The album is infused with the DNA of their relationship. Kristy appears as a character on "On My Way," with Angelakos promising to "buy a ring and then we'll consecrate this messy love." Likewise, the album's artwork features images of Kristy and a letter to her penned by Angelakos.
How romantic, right? Not really, Angelakos insists. "That's the one aspect of Passion Pit that's completely accidental," he clarifies, mulling over the gap between the way he sees himself and that of his public persona. "I really don't think romantically. I certainly don't act like a romantic. I always try to be much warmer than I actually am. There's an iciness that I got from someone in my family. When I write music, somehow that taps into a certain part of my subconscious. I've never really considered myself to be a romantic, but often people write about me as being one and I have never understood it, but I guess they're only going off of my music. It does speak for itself."
This, from a guy whose livelihood started as a Valentine's Day gesture? Angelakos good-naturedly brushes off the indication. "The sensationalism behind that was fine, and I expected that," he says. "It was really more fun that it was earnest. But it ended up being a little earnest, almost by accident."
He also shrugs off the notion that Gossamer could be framed as a triumphant narrative. He jokingly knocks the idea of identifying as an optimist ("Not in any way shape or form!") and pragmatically notes that some listeners may view the new album in that light. "There are moments of optimism but they're quickly weighed down by moments of darkness," he says, measuring each word. "The record, if you listen to it from front to back, ends in a very weird middle ground. There's no real resolution. It's not satisfied with the results. I suppose that's interesting, but optimism is not something that I hear on this record as much as I hear the negativity. I find that funny because people always pick out the negative aspects of themselves more often than they will pick out the positive things. So, I don't know, maybe there are more optimistic moments on this than I take in, just because of my own personal bias."
In view of the events immediately following this interview, that offhand comment could have been viewed as a foreshadowing of sorts, but at the time, Angelakos chalked his viewpoint up to hard-won realism. When we spoke, Angelakos was on the cusp of returning to the road for another extended promotional period and emotionally preparing for the release of Gossamer. A few weeks later, he cancelled a handful of Passion Pit dates, checking himself into the hospital to address depression caused—in part—by his complicated personal struggle with a bipolar disorder. Seen in that sad light, the musician's guarded optimism about what the upcoming year had in store is not without its own darkness, yet is belied by a genuine, gritty sense of hope.
"It is weird and confusing, and probably as unhealthy as you can imagine," he said of the grueling cycle of writing and recording, which—for better or for worse—he has made his life's work. "My goal now is to make sure that I make a healthy world to exist in. That's going to take a little bit of time and effort. I'm confident that with this new record I've got my catalyst. I've got the one thing I really need to get me through it, which is a body of work that I can honestly say I'm pretty proud of."
He paused to consider the implication of that statement. "I can't believe I'm saying that. It's hard when you put it out there or are waiting to put it out there. But I can say that I couldn't have done any better. In this industry you just have to find a way to survive. Hopefully it's a healthy way."
May the music keep Passion Pit forever in a safe place. F


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The St James Way
A thrilling route through northern Spain Some people are inspired by an interest in culture, others do it out of a spiritual conviction, yet others love the chance of adventure or approach it as a personal challenge… but whatever your reason, the St James Way offers an original and different way of sightseeing in northern Spain. Come and find out why. You'll discover a wealth of monuments, charming towns and villages, spectacular natural attractions…
French Route
This is the most popular route. It begins in the Pyrenees and has two variants depending on where you choose to enter: Roncesvalles (through Navarre) or Somport (through Aragon). Both routes meet in the town of Puente la Reina, and then continue on through the territories of La Rioja and Castile-León towards Galicia.
Hospital de Órbigo - Astorga
This section goes through the region of León and ends in Astorga, one of the key points of the Way of Saint James. It is also part of the Vía de la Plata.
Nájera – Santo Domingo de la Calzada
It crosses through the region of La Rioja, a land known for its famous wines. You may visit important monuments in Nájera and Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
Northern Route
This route was first used by the pilgrims to avoid travelling through the territories occupied by the Muslims in the Middle Ages. The greatest attraction is its landscape, as a large part runs along the coastline against a backdrop of mountains, and overlooks the Cantabrian Sea. When you get to Oviedo, you can either take the alternative Northern Route or the Primitive Route.
1.545 €
Lugo; A Coruña
690 €
Oviedo - Santiago de Compostela by bicycle
Lugo; Asturias; A Coruña
915 €
St. James' Way by sea. Sail the Way
Lugo; Gipuzkoa; Cantabria;…
100 €


text: The SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle is grappled by the International Space Station's robotic arm Sunday morning. NASA TV hide caption toggle caption NASA TV The Two-Way After Delay, SpaceX Dragon Reaches Space Station March 3, 2013 Mechanical difficulties after Friday's launch pushed back the capture of the unmanned capsule by a day. The Dragon will stay in place until the end of March, after dropping off 1,200 pounds of supplies, and return with more than twice that amount.


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The Baltimore Ravens aren't the only team in the AFC North making moves on the offensive line.
One day after the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to send Eugene Monroe to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for multiple draft picks, the Pittsburgh Steelers got in on the action.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the Arizona Cardinals have agreed to ship offensive tackle Levi Brown to the Steelers for a conditional draft pick, per a source involved in the deal. The Steelers later confirmed the move via Twitter. Cornerback Isaiah Green was released to clear a roster spot for Brown.
Rapoport also reported that Brown will compete with Pittsburgh's Mike Adams.
It's an odd move.
Adams has been a turnstile this season. He needs to be replaced, but anyone watching Cardinals film has seen Brown pop off the screen as a massive liability. Brown was flamed by Rams pass rusher Robert Quinn in the season opener, and accountable for a Saints bum-rush in Week 3. Fifty-nine offensive tackles currently grade higher on the field this season, per Pro Football Focus.
The Steelers take on what's left of the five-year, $30 million contract Brown -- a former No. 5 overall draft pick -- signed in 2012.
This can be spun as Pittsburgh acquiring a veteran, but it's telling that Arizona is willing to shop its starting left tackle in October.The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.


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To attend this Innovation Sprint - please register here! Space is limited.
How many times do you attend events, take a lot of notes, but then fail to put them into place when you return to work? This session is designed to break that cycle by giving you the chance to apply real-world "hacking" techniques to your biggest HR challenges and problems.
The end result? Through this creative destruction, we will break some of our old thinking, create new solutions, and then share our work with the other attendees at the end of the event.
If you are an innovative leader that needs a creative outlet, join us.
If could use some ideas for how to be more innovative, join us.
If want to take a break from listening and do some hands-on work, join us.
It is a known fact that a team or company can never outgrow its leaders. If we want our companies to be innovative, we need to practice this ourselves as HR leaders. In this special session, two proven voices in the HR community will moderate participatory sessions designed to help you learn the concepts of hackathons and apply them to the workplace with experiential learning exercises.
Trudy Wonder
Director of Human Capital Management (HCM) Innovation and Thought Leadership, Ultimate Software


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Twenty Tips For Packaging Your Project Successfully/
On Monday September 17th, Jay Van Hoy and I had a public discussion for IFP's Independent Film Week on how to package your film. I drafted this post up to help prepare me for the discussion.
Producing requires that you look beyond your own projects and looks at how you build it better for everybody. I frankly don't have respect for producers who only work on their projects. I want to know they give back to the community in general. That does not have much to do with packaging frankly, but it is why I write this blog.
To that end, I want to share with you my thoughts on how to package your film in such a way that your film will gather momentum, get made, and succeed in the marketplace. I have come up with twenty points. I wanted to know what I forgot, so I hope you add to the list.
- Recognize what you are doing when you package a project. You package a project because you want to finance or sell your film. You put actors in it not just for the creative enhancement, but also for the financial benefit. If you fail to make the movie or to use the actors well, you devalue them in the market place. That's a HUGE risk for them. It's not true that if an actor attaches herself to the project and it doesn't get made, no harm is done. Attaching an actor exposes them to the marketplace -- and kind of checks their value. If a project an actor attaches himself to does not get made, it appears that buyers are not interested in them (because they presume that audiences does not value them). By attaching actors to your project, you are risking their career. Do not even approach them, until you are can demonstrate to everyone around them that is not the case.
- Develop a positive reputation for consistently delivering films of quality and acclaim. It may sound like a Catch 22, but if you want to make movies, you have to make movies (or work with people who do). If you want to work with the best, you have to demonstrate you are one of them. The best way to get a script read is to have been associated with other great scripts. The work you do today is really work you are doing for tomorrow; it's all part of the chain. If you develop a positive reputation things will go better for you than if you develop something to the contrary. That common sense somehow has not stopped the business from being filled with jerks and hot air, but if employed (common sense that is), it will pave the way towards easier packaging.
- Respect agents and their time. Don't harass them. It is an art learning how to get things done and move things ahead, without annoying people. Actors and agents have 1000s of submissions. And that's just every day. You want to learn how to make everyone want to take your calls. Balance calls with emails. Recognize that they have staff meetings on Mondays. Recognize that weekend reads are generally fully decided by Thursday. Don't expect top agents to read your script until covering agents and junior agents have already raved about them. Do you homework. Prepare. Be ready before you act.
- Build relationships. What you do today, helps you tomorrow -- even if you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Strong relationships with agents and managers -- and actors -- are the best thing you can do for packaging your project -- even when you don't yet have the project you are going to be packaging. You want to make the agents want to work with you.
- Finish your script. Get it under 115 pages. Hell, get it under 110. Or even shorter. 70 is the new 80. Don't fudge the standard conventions. Fix the punctuation. Make sure the emotional beats resonate. Make sure the moments of the characters' transformation are clear. Make it a fun and easy read. You get one chance. Don't fuck it up. Once you know you are done, you still should cut another 10%.
- Enhance your project beyond your script. A good script is not enough. When you submit a script for consideration, you need to have more than a script ready. Your director should write a personal letter to the actor in advance. Ditto on her director's statement. You should create an image book, mood reel, or anything that will further enhance the clarity of the creative vision. Make sure your team makes sense for this project. Know whom your other cast ideas are. Scout. Budget. Storyboard. Build the transmedia extensions. Whatever it takes and then do some more.
- Build respect & knowledge about your team. This is most crucial about your director but it can equally hold true about your other collaborators. If your director is not known, it is your job to get her known. There is no excuse for not having prior work to show. These days a short can be made for next to nothing. Why will talent's gatekeeper let them work with your director? Demonstrate their talent. Get endorsements from festivals and other tastemakers. Help your directors build a presence in social media. If you want an actor to commit to your project, you need to give them as many reasons as possible.
- Have money, or at least make it plausible that you will. No one is going to attach themselves if they don't think the movie will get made. Financing is key to this, but it is not the only thing. Your track record, or your team's track record goes a long way. If you don't have one, attach someone that does before you approach talent. Don't claim you are going to make something for more than seems reasonable for the subject matter and your level of experience -- they won't believe you will ever get it done. Having sales agency or talent agency representation can help in this regard, as it shows that proven entities believe their is business to be had, but this too is sort of a Catch-22 -- for them to get behind it, they want to have cast attached, generally speaking. One of the reason the industry is filled with charlatans, is that they serve the purpose of standing in the for the money. By claiming they will back your project, the fakers give you time to find the real money (if you are so lucky).
- Build consensus around the project in advance. Don't start at the top. Build support. Package a team. If you are a new filmmaker, bring someone with experience on early. Submit your project to script labs and other support mechanisms that lend your project credibility. Find passionate advocates for your work and use them.
- Offer roles actors want. Actors like characters who transform over the course of the film. They like their characters to influence the action. Actors like to work with other actors that they admire -- it can't just be their role that is good.
- Make it personal. If you can get to an actor on a personal (i.e. non-business) all the better. That is, all the better, but know that the agent is going to hate you and want to destroy you. Why would an agent ever want their client to do something that they can earn a percentage on AND has the likelihood of diminishing their value if not ruining their career. That said, because following the rules takes a considerable amount of time, I would probably always move to cast another actor's friends than hold out for the unlikely dream.
- Do your research. Is the actor even available? Do they like, or want to work with, the other people attached to the project? Will they be willing to travel where you are shooting? Why would they like to do the role?
- Be prepared to answer all questions, particularly what the deal is. Take the time to construct a couple of deals in advance, depending on how the negotiations go. Know when you want to shoot, for how long, and where. Know what you can provide the talent in the way of amenities.
- Patience. Stars are busy people. Their agents, managers, lawyers might be even busier. If you are an indie producer, you are probably the busiest. You know how you hate to be pushed? Well, think of that when you want to push. Anyone you have heard of and want will probably take six weeks to get back to you. On one movie of mine it took the actor a year; we actually had cast the role once, but the day her agent got back to me was the day the other actress fell out. Be honest about the time you have with the agent, and then be prepared to increase it. It is a good sign if they ask for more time -- it means someone's read it and likes it, so bite your lip and wait some more.
- Urgency. The best thing you can do is have a start date. Well make that: the best thing you can do is have a start date eight weeks out from now -- if you want to attract high caliber talent at a reasonable rate. Of course that means you have already financed your project, so really now you are casting for quality or enhanced sales. Still, without a start date, how do you create urgency? Why do you need to create urgency? What is the call to action? If it is not urgent, how do you get them to focus.
- Inevitability. Inevitability is urgency's cousin. Or sister. Brother? Whatever it is, create that feeling around your project. Inevitability, or a feeling something like it, makes things happen, and happen better. How do you package that feeling around your film? Most of the points on this list are about making your project feel inevitable. The fuller something is, the realer it is. You need to reveal the weapons in your arsenal. Use everything you have to make it look likely to happen. Have confidence, and instill it in others.
- Have something for everyone. You have a series of audiences to engage with: collaborators, buyers, festivals, journalists, audiences, participants. The people you bring into create the work with, will bring their own relationships and sizzle. Many producers stop packaging when they get their actor who can bring the money. You also need the one that brings security -- often an ancillary deal in a foreign territory; an actor on a prominent television show can help here. You need actors who will get stories on different news platforms; rediscoveries (actors who were once stars) and hot up&comers (younger actors) help a lot in this regard. It helps to fortify foreign value by casting a foreign star from a difficult or large territory. Actors from different media can also expand your reach, i.e. bloggers, comedians, porn stars, youtube stars. Get the picture?
- Package in a way that helps others connect the dots. Actors get typecast because audiences grow accustomed to seeing them in a particular type of film and feel betrayed when they broaden their range. Marketing gets difficult when you cast a comedian in a thriller. The same is true for directors that have developed reputations. If you are thinking outside the box, you need to figure out a pathway to lead others outside the box. You can get to far ahead of the parade that the audience forgets you are leading them.
- Make it an event. Movies a dime a dozen with no call to action to get the f up and off the couch. Movies are not rare. We have a grand abundance of them that we will never catch up to. You need your film to leap to the top of everyone's queue. You must make your film an event. Mickey Rourke playing Mickey Rourke The Wrestler in The Wrestler was an event. Someone's return to the screen or their last role motivates an audience. In direct contradiction to my prior point, sometimes an actor doing what they haven't is an event: Adam Sandler in Punchdrunk Love is an event, but not in Reign Over Me. Transmedia and other extensions of a story world has the potential to do this. I rushed to see The Master on 70mm (and was not disappointed). Secret Cinema in the UK does this well. We think of a lot of this as marketing, but I see early collaborations with key creatives as packaging too.
- Process & strategy. This list is an attempt to help identify all that can be done to package a movie. Once you have identified everything, you have to both figure out how and when to do each stage. When I have built my materials that demonstrate the creative vision of the project, and I feel I have a firm understanding of the business potential for the project, and I feel my script is as good as I am going to be able to get it, I alert the agencies that we will be in town soon. I send it all to them and set meetings. They need to have a face to face with your director if they are going to endorse the project. I know the whole packaging process is going to be a long haul. I try to figure out things I can do along the way to keep it fresh, reinvent it. Once something gets stale, you must transform it.


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Gastroenterology Physician
Providence Health & Services
Providence Gastroenterology clinic located next to Providence St. Mary Medical Center is seeking a full-time board-certified/board eligible Gastroenterology physician. Enjoy a healthy work-life balance and all that Walla Walla has to offer, in sunny southeast Washington.
Where You'll Work
Providence St. Mary Medical Center is a leader in quality, safety and customer service in southeast Washington. A Level III trauma center, Providence St. Mary is one of seven hospitals in the state to earn a five-star rating for quality from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Regional Cancer Center is cutting-edge, while the Neuroscience Institute houses a renowned regional Spine Center. With high scores in provider engagement surveys, this tightly integrated network boasts a range of specialties.
Where You'll Live
In sunny southeast Washington, Walla Walla is a city where scenic beauty, western history and outdoor adventure blend with small town friendliness, taste-tempting restaurants and more than 140 local wineries. The city has several public parks, theatres, galleries and boutiques to peruse year-round. From the scenic beauty of the Blue Mountains to the educational opportunities of Whitman College and Walla Walla University, Walla Walla has opportunities and entertainment for all ages.
Who You'll Work For
Providence Health & Services (PH&S) is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, more than 600 clinics and hundreds of locally driven programs across five western states: Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Providence is committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, with a special emphasis on its mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. PH&S is a partner organization of the Providence St. Joseph Health family and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity organization.
Job ID Number: 9706
Facility Name: Providence St. Mary Medical Center
Location Name: Walla Walla, WA
Brand Name: Providence Health & Services
Provider Profession: Physician/Surgeon
Medical Specialty: Gastroenterology
Job Setting: Medical Clinic
Type of Role: Clinical
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone Number: (509) 942-2129
Schedule: Full Time
CP: Yes
CB: Yes
NP: No
PA: No
HC: Yes
IS: No
YM: No
Let's Talk!
You've got questions? I've got answers! Reach out today, and together, we'll find a job that checks all your boxes.
Express Interest
Heather Swayze
Provider Recruiter
(509) 942-2129


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Capitol Alert Breaking
California budget will test Jerry Brown's relationship with lawmakers
Liberal activists were already criticizing Gov. Jerry Brown's new spending plan when he got up to deliver it Thursday. A leak had revealed its contents early, rendering Brown's presentation more a defense than an unveiling.
"Now some people would say because we have this little, little black mark there, that we should go on a spending binge," Brown told reporters, circling in pen a surplus on the chart beside him. "I don't agree with that."
The argument over the black surplus bar on Brown's chart will define six months of budget negotiations at the Capitol. While proposing modest spending increases for schools and social service programs, Brown's $154.9 billion spending plan includes a $1.6 billion allocation to a rainy-day fund and billions more to pay off long-term debt.
"It isn't time to just embark on a whole raft of new initiatives," Brown said.
Brown is in a powerful position as he prepares for a likely re-election bid this year. He faces no Democratic opposition and even Republican analysts believe no GOP candidate is likely to unseat him.
Yet as he enters the final year of his term, Brown is still in pursuit of a legacy of fiscal restraint. It's a difficult line to walk as he pushes construction of a controversial high-speed rail system and a $25 billion water project.
"His challenges are to his legislative and fiscal agenda," said Jack Pitney, a government professor at Claremont McKenna College, "not to his political standing."
Brown called his spending plan "a wise allocation of the public funds," while acknowledging the difficulties it could create with the Legislature and advocacy groups.
"Prudence is never easy," Brown said. "When the money's in, people want to go for it. And we've tried to keep it very measured, and that's really the story and will be the story of the coming year."
As Brown left the Capitol to promote his plan at news conferences in San Diego and Los Angeles, lawmakers and social service advocates began to draw the lines that will shape conflict over the budget when he returns.
Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, lamented the budget "continues the cuts that were made during the depths of the recession." Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento, said in a prepared statement that California "must go further to strategically restore cuts made in prior budgets and increase funding for essential services like education, services to our most vulnerable populations, and the courts."
In the upper house, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, also said the budget does not include enough spending.
"We shouldn't be shy to say that there is room, with this kind of economy and this kind of a budget, to invest and to reinvest in California's economy and its people," Steinberg said.
He described Brown's budget release as the first act of an annual "four-act drama" and said the Senate will spend coming months examining whether more money should be put into CalWORKs (the state's welfare-to-work program), in-home supportive services and autism treatment for children whose parents are eligible for Medi-Cal.
Brown has adjusted his initial budget proposals to accommodate lawmakers on some of their priorities in recent years. But he made no mention in his presentation Thursday of a chief concern of legislative Democrats: transitional kindergarten.
Asked about the proposal, Brown said, "I certainly will listen to legislative leaders and members as they make their proposals, but again, wisdom and prudence is the order of the day."
Brown faces opposition from some environmentalists to his plan to use fees paid by carbon producers to help fund California's high-speed rail project, and the prospects for his effort to put a rainy-day fund constitutional amendment on the November ballot are uncertain.
The proposed rainy-day fund would scrap some of the provisions in a measure already on the ballot – one opposed by some of Brown's liberal allies.
That measure, ACA 4, was part of a 2010 budget deal involving Democrats, Republicans and then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and was originally scheduled to go before voters in 2012. But lawmakers that year moved the initiative to 2014, and unions and some advocates for programs for low-income residents have voiced concerns that the fund would collect too much money and make it too difficult to spend.
The California Labor Federation had no comment on the new proposal, while the California Teachers Association said it is reviewing it.
Steinberg, who voted for ACA 4 to help end a three-month budget standoff, on Thursday called that measure "flawed, and flawed significantly."
"I think the governor's proposal will undoubtedly be better, but we have to analyze it," Steinberg said.
Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles, who is running for state controller, said Brown's budget "hits all the right points" and is in line with the Assembly leadership's priorities. Pérez is championing the rainy-day fund, a measure he said is a "much more thoughtful approach than what was previously slated for the ballot."
Republicans were skeptical. "...The rainy-day reserve needs to be more robust, and the ... proposal (already on the ballot) supported by Democrats and Republicans is a better starting point," said Senate Republican leader Bob Huff of Diamond Bar.
Brown said details of his proposed rainy-day fund remain to be decided, but that it would ease boom-and-bust budget cycles, while providing more flexibility than ACA 4.
"The reason for that rainy-day fund is the volatility. With that zigzag, up and down, in capital gains and spending, the only way to offset that is to have money in reserve, and that's what I intend to do," Brown said.
Republican lawmakers reacted to the budget release with calls for greater measures to reduce long-term debt. But with large majorities of Democrats in both houses of the Legislature, even Republicans are focused on the interaction between those Democrats and Brown.
"The devil is in the details ... the fiscal restraint, the rainy-day fund, all those things are good," said Assembly Republican leader Connie Conway of Tulare. "But what worries someone like me is that the governor gets overwhelmed by his own homies, as I like to say, because they are going to want to spend, spend, spend. And I don't think he wants to do that."
Focus on any rainy-day fund is likely to benefit Democrats seeking to project an image of restraint. But the Capitol is heavy with calls for increased revenue and spending, too.
State schools chief Tom Torlakson this week called for an extension of Proposition 30, Brown's initiative to raise taxes, beyond its full expiration in 2018. Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer said last month he will ramp up a campaign in the Legislature this year for a tax on companies that extract oil in California.
Brown noted that the taxes in Proposition 30 are intended to be temporary, and said the time is wrong for an oil-severance tax.
"I don't think this is the year for new taxes," he said.
Brown spent much of 2012 campaigning for his ballot initiative to raise taxes, and its passage is one reason he is enjoying a budget surplus this year.
Now that the budget has improved significantly, he was asked whether the state needed the tax measure, after all.
Brown took an oversized chart of California's long-term financial liabilities off its stand and held it over his head. It showed nearly $355 billion.
"Yeah," he said, "We sure did."
Three rainy-day funds
Gov. Jerry Brown this week proposed a rainy-day fund to help the state save for hard economic times. If passed by the Legislature it would replace a more restrictive measure sceheduled for the November ballot. If then approved by voters it would replace a largely ignored reserve created in 2004.
|Budget Stabilization Account
|Gov. Jerry Brown's rainy-day fund
|Constitutional amendment approved by voters in March 2004
|November 2014 ballot measure
|Proposed to replace ACA 4
|How the fund gets money
|3 percent of annual revenue is supposed to be transferred each year, but transfers have been suspended every year except 2007. Brown proposes a $1.6 billion transfer in 2014-15.
|3 percent of annual revenue and "unanticipated revenue" above a 20-year trend line.
|Any revenue from capital-gains taxes that exceeds 6.5 percent of total general fund revenue
|When can the fund be tapped
|Anytime, with majority vote of Legislature and approval of governor
|Only when total projected revenue for a budget year is less than expenditures in the previous year, or when there is an earthquake or other emergency
|Only one-half of the fund could be tapped in the first year of a recession. Money could be used to pay down "Wall of Debt" or long-term liabilities.
|No special provision
|No special provision
|Creates a reserve for Proposition 98, the state's constitutional school-funding gurantee. Revenue spikes would be saved for down years.
Sources: Department of Finance, California law, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee